Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-13
Principle of the Indeterminate
Sentence as Opposed to Sys-
tenn Now In Force
DR.. cApY LECTURES ON SUBJECT
Well Known cfiminoiosist Contends
That tho Indeterminate Sentence is
the Only Correct Form of Punish
ment, Being in True Accordance
With the Modern Idea of PenoIogy.
spec,al to Tlmes-Republican.

SIecial to Ttmes-Republican,
Iowa City, Dec. 13.-Dr. George Luz
ther Cady, lecturer on sociology in the
State University of Iowa, and a GRIM
inologist whose work as such is well
known turnout Iowa and the west, has
taken a firm stand in favor of the indie
terminate sentence and believes that
the time will come when Its principle
will be applied even to crimes now con-
sidered worthy of capital punishment.
1.-THE indeterminate sentence is the
orlly correct form of punishment, since
it is the only one which Is i'll true &C
ce.rdance with the modern Idea OF pen
ology. The determinate sentence had
two objects. These are projection OF
society from the Individual, and pun
ishment Of the individual for the crime
Of which he had been convicted. Ad-
vanced penology still has in mind the
idea of protection Of society but II mas
lost entirely the idea of punishment fQr
the individual. In the place OF punish
ment we have the idea Of reformation
OF the criminal, which Is the key note
OF the humanity of the twentieth CEN
tury.
"The determinate sentence. has many
evils. but the most important is this
fundamental idea Of punishment. The
prisoner is sentenced for definite
fixed time which can only b0 shortened
NV good behavior. Often he is releas-
cd without change in his disposition or
temperament, and society does not hes
itate in giving him another opportunity
where he has committed his first Of
tense.
"There is one other way III winch tue
prisoner sentenced for fixed period
can secure his freedom, aad that Dy
means of the governors pardon. "
all the evils that infest our present
system, this seems to be the worst. II
mas given great opportunity Tor cor
rupt political jobbery. We III Iowa nave
had ample proof of this in some OF the
most notorious cases In tn, history OIL
the west. Michigan and Illinois nave
also had many such expe riences.
"rrhe indeterminate sentence on the
other hand says to the criminal IN
YOUR present condition you are men
ace to society. You are to oe lncarcer-
ated until you are fit to DE citlzen
and to mingle with other citizens The
criminal goes into the prison with this
thought: Society is not Furnishing me,
nor does it wish to deprive me OF my
liberty. AS soon as / prove to society
that 1 will treat it fairly shall be
freed
"The prison officials look upon him
as man who is to be refc rmed, not to
be punished, and the laws If the prison
life are all changed to that end. The
man is placed in prison where there
Is good sanitation, where he has good
literature at his disposal, plenty OF la
Dor and where he has everything In his
environment to build up lis character.
Moreover the mans releas is placed in
the hands Of a board whi',h is not po-
litical. but which is comp osed of PEN
illogical experts who have given their
life to the work.
"The indeterminate sentence princi-
pie only applies now 10 the minor
crimes. but believe thilt eventually
public sentiment will reich a point
where prisoners guilty Of capital Of
fences will be given an equal oppor-
tunity for reformation, their minimum
sentence being of course very heavy"