The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-26
REFORM OF CRIMINALS.

REFORM OF CRIMINALS.
CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE)
years or more ago to draw a comparison
as to the modern method of dealing with
offenders against the law in this country.
and will now devote the remainder of my
time to the present methods and condi-
lions as we find them in the institutions of
our own State.
FIRST STEPS TAKEN.
.'There was a prison established at JEFF
fersonville as far back as 1922, and for
nearly forty years it was the only prison
in the State. In 1860 il was found that an
other institution of the kind was absolute
ly needful, ard prison was erected in
Michigan City. This was known as the
Prison North and the one at Jefferson
vile was named the Prison South. and
from that date until a few years ago the
methods. rules and regulations OF these
institutions remained about the same Pris-
oners were sentenced 10 flXed terms by the
courts, thrown into prison. given the regu-
lation prison clothing, known as stripes,
compelled to march in lock-step, with
thrown around them TO humiliate and re-
mind them that they were convicts. In
all these years not the first principles of
business methods the welfare of the
inmates were ever considered, evidence OF
which is plain from the records and pa
pers on file. And it should be remembered
institutions. but also in the charitable in
situations of the State.
1T was not until the last decade of the
nineteelth century that the people of In
diana began to realize that the penal in
situations were not being conducted it
was intended that they should be by the
Constitution of the State of Indiana, which
reads: The penal code shall be founded
upon principles of reformation, and not of
vindictive justice. Believing this to be the
true principle OF handling the criminal
| population of Indiana, the Legislature of
| 1897 made the Indiana State Prison South
| the Indiana Reformatory and the Indiana
| State Prison North the Indiana State
| Prison.
prior to 1897 prisoners sentenced north of
! a line running east and west through the
center of the State, touching the southern
| border OF Marion county were sentenced to
| prison in Michigan City. and all south of
| this line were taken to Jacksonville. This
was done without reference to crime. age
| or to the number of times the prisoner may
| have been in prison. The result was that
| many young boy who had committed his
| first offense was thrown into prison and
| put into cell with an old, experienced Of
| fender, and after serving his term of one,
| two or three years. with no attention given
to his morals or education while in prison.
he was discharged a graduate in crime.
REMEDIES BY NEW LAW.
1.-THE new law seeks to remedy just such
cases as these by committing to the State
| Prison from any county in the State all
Il
who have been sentenced for life or
| treason, and those who have served more
| than two terms and are confirmed GRIM
| inals. To the Indiana Reformatory are COM
mitted all persons over sixteen and under
/ thirty years of age, except such as are SEN
fenced for life, or those found guilty of
| treason. The indeterminate sentence law
means/that when person is sent to prison
| ne goes for minimum and maximum term
which is determined by law in accordance
4 with the offense committed Ii may be
| from one to three years, one to seven, one
tWentyone II is the INTENTION of t See a% 1
| that when person is convicted of crime
| he shall be sentenced for the maximum
| of which he is guilty. But the exact num-
| Der of months he is required to serve be-
yond the minimum term allowed by law
| shall be determined by the management of
| the institution where the offender is placed.
| This Is what is meant in speaking of the
fndetermnate sentence. Many inmates re-
| period for which they were sentenced be-
| fore they give evidence that they have
/ learned the error of their ways and will
thereafter be honest, self-supporting and
| evidence, in habits, disposition and allotted
work. it is the duty Of the management
though it is terrble .n tin are FOR or AN
| 10 be I'm prison, IL is much worse for the
State to have unfit persons turned loose
Under the present system ana method
OF handling inmates In the Indiana Re-
formatory the management is compelled to
| keep watch over them from the time they
| enter the institution. Ii compes them also
to make careful investigation of each
case. and daily record is made of any
| action that may be taken relative to the
inmate. They also make q careful invest-
| CATION as TO the inmates previous habits
| and history. III illiterate he is taken to the
| schoolroom and taught to read and write
and given an education up to the sixth
grade. With these methods the manage
ment at the end OF the minimum sentence
Is able TO judge as to the character and
habits OF each inmate when he appears
| before the parole board asking for parole.
After the minimum sentence has been
OF the institution he is brought before the
board for due consideration of his case. IL
from the Investigations that have been
made the board find that the inmate is
not confirmed criminal, and il Is his first
sentence, he Is given an opportunity 10
return again to society and prove not only
TO the board, but to his friends. that he
can become useful citizen.
SYSTEM OF PAROLES.
During his time on parole 1t is necessary
for him to report to the institution once
each month, stating the amount of money
that he has earned and all about himself
during that month. If these reports are
not satisfactory the management sends a
representative of the institution TO the
community where the paroled inmate is
and finds out why his reports are not sat
isfactory, and also investigates TO see ii
the conditions and environment OF the pa
rolled man are such as they should be
When the paroled man has reported TO the
board monthly for definite time. which
must be one year. and is often longer, and
the board finds that he has complied I'm all
particulars with his parole regulations and
has not i'm any way violated the State law
he is given his final discharge; but is moi
given this discharge until two or more re-
| sponsfble parties certify that they believe
the paroled man VIII make useful citizen
1.-THE regulations under which man Il