Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-04-06
AID TO C0NVICTS
LARGE CRIMINAL POPULATION OF
COLORADO.
PLANS FOR Improvement
Secretary Of Prison Reform Assoeia-
tIon Tells About It's Work-FIrst
Step 10 to Save Juvenile Offenders.

tIon Tells About It's Work-FIrst
Step 10 to Save Juvenile Offenders.
Denver.-W. s. Collett. general Sec
retary Of the Prison Reform Associa-
tion. was a guest and speaker at
Thursdays weekly MONDAY lunch OF
tho chamber of commerce. his address
being on the topic, "The Discharged
Convict and Society,"" The members
OF the chamber We're greatly interested
In his speech. which was heartily ap.
plauded. He spoke In part as follows:
I've are not dispensers OF nIaudlin
sympathy scented with rose water. All
such methods are resented by the best
type of eS-prisoners himself. While
the typical convict will proclaim inno-
cence to the uninitiated. In hope OF
graft. with US this is not even a.,
tempted. Many letters from prisoners
are on file in our ofiice which say:
They caught the right fellow when
they got me. and l am getting here
but my Just deserts. However. MIR.
Collett, l think ! know when l have
had enough. and will appreciate your
Kindness II you will assist me in secur-
Ing another chance
There are In the prisons Of Amer
lea today about 900 men and wom-
en-. whose ages average tribe moro
than twenty'slS years. The lowest ac-
ccptcd estimates place the number OF
cx.priSoncrs OF the criminal type at
100000 more. giving us n total criminal
nj inn af All
was ever more expensive for main.
tcnancc. The United States spends
3200. .00O. 900 annually for officers and
courts. trying to rcprcss the ravases:
but In spite OF their cndcayors. the
dcprcdltIons OF criminals annually ng-
IrcIatc 500. 1000. 200 more. This gives
a bridget OF 5000. 900. 900 annually. cS'
cceding the value OF last years wheat.
cotton or hay crops. Yes. II even cS-
cccdS the annual cost OF maintaining
the federal government.
Colorado has nm average OF $50 In
her prisons at Canon City and Bucna
Vista. This Is six times m many as
the state of Nebraska. when proper
toned TO the populations OF these
states.
According to tho National Prison
Association estimates Colorado must
have u criminal population OF more
than $500: and these would cost us
3e.000.o00 for repression and fi.ooo.ooo
for dcprctations. n total OF sG.ooo.ooo
n ycar-$500. 900 per month. Can We
afford to ignore this problem OF social
life In our state?
Permit, me to say that the grcatcat
forward step was taken In prison re-
form when We decided to quit making
criminals of our Juvenile offenders. In.
stead Of rushing them into prison ut
once. TO lie in idlencss with old round.
crs, only too apt pupils In the school or
crime. We very properly placed them
on probation. at the discretiSa OF the
court. And Colorado Is justly proud or
her distinguished judge whose success
Is .iiracting the interest OF every civ.
ilizcd country.
"Is there any logical reason why
adult flrst offenders. at least II guilty
OF minor offcnscs. should not likewise
be admitted to probation. ut the dis.
crction OF the court? The humiliation
OF public arrest. trial. conviction, sen.
tcncc and monthly report TO an officer
is. with many n man. n measure OF pun
ishmcnt sufficient to insure good con-
duct in the future. Massachusetts
has had such provision In force Tor
over twenty-five years. New South
Connecticut for three years. New York
has been cnlarging the operation of -
similar provision throughout that
state.
'All OF you were doubtless interested
in the good roads agitation of about n
year ago. The net results are that
about scvcnty.fvc or eighty TRUSTEES
have worked In sight OF the peniten'
tiary constructing n road to the sum.
nit of the Royal Gorge hills. But |
think we agreed that for the present
and future welfare OF both the prisonST
and the state. all OF the inmates OF outNN
penal institutions should be employed
each Mt that for which he Is best
adapted. In New York for over eight
years everything needed In the state.
city. county or township institutions
have been manufactured In the peni'
tentiaries of that state. For five years
the law has not been modified by legif
lative enactment, and the labor unions
OF the state have indorsed the plan,
Last. though not least, the Colo
RADIO Prison Association desires your
assistance in securing state recogni'
ton. or necessity there must be
careful superintendent of paroled
men, guiding them into the character
Of honesty, industry and generally
good citizenship"