Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-23
AIDS CONVICTS
IN REFORMING
INCORPORATED BODY FINDS
WORK FOR MEN
Unless ExsPrisoners Get Jobs and
Some Help They Will Fall Back
Into Evil Ways--New Prop
uganda ls On

incorporated to assist discharged con-
victs in ,regaining a place I'm useful
society, in assisting them i'm their re-
solves to become better citizens, the
California Prison association is adding
to its membership the rough energetic
extension work.
State Superintendent s. u. Lynch,
who is in Los Angeles in the interest Of
the association. says concerning the
associations objects:
About two and one-half is the daily
average the year round discharged
from our state prisones. They must go
somewhere. They must live somehow.
Many have homes and friends to whom
they can go, but about one-half of this
number need assistance. No matter
how good their resolutions, they are
not received with confidence by the
public. 1t is almost impossible for them
to secure position or hold job.
Help Find Places
Must they be compelled to return to
crime to gain livelihood? 1t prac-
tically means this unless we help find
places for them. They are not all
criminals. Many are more weak than
mean. Probably IS per cent might be
reclaimed under proper influence The
necessity of retrieving a furnished
reputation makes them often more
trustworthy than others who have not
this to contend with. So we secure. as
far as possible, congenial employment
and care for them as best we can. We
earnestly invite correspondence with
all employers, and will stand by our
commentators.
The congregate system of incarcera-
ton places a premium upon crime and
makes our jails and prisons training
schools for criminals. Retributive JUS
tice-so much punishment for so much
crime-is no justice at all. 1t smacks
of semi barbarism and disgraces
modern intelligence. One. five or ten
years of compulsory contact with those
whose only ambition is to be evil then
turned out with no after care, Is not
only a crime against society but a
crime against the criminal as well. Our
association stands for law wisely en-
acted and vigorously enforced. For
punishment to maintain law, but hui
namely applied. For prisons, not as
training schools to make criminals, but
as industrial reformatories to make
men, from which man may come bet
ter fitted for making both living and
a life than when he went in.
Aids and Teaches
"This department rs largely educa-
tional-teaching the people of the con-
ditions and bringing about a better
state Of affairs. We cooperate with
Judges throughout the state in caring
for boys and first offenders. These are
being turned over to us; and are placed,
as far as possible, where they are
trained to become useful members of
society. Thus we endeavor to prevent
as we'll as cure, and make the condi-
lions such that incorrigible criminals
will shun this state and honest men
will feel safe.
"When q prisoner has served his
time he Is ordered out, homeless, prac-
tically penniess and an hundredfold
worse than friendless. Every door is
closed. Every hand Is against him.
Only saloons make him welcome and
thieves are his only willing companions
A place which he can call home at this
time, may save the man from
crime, and society from criminal
A place to which he can go on his dis
charge, where he can be kept busy
until able to find more permanent en-
ployment, where he is encouraged to
value true manhood, and to which he
can return when circumstances unfit
him for labor. This home could be
maintained, tools furnished and each
man cared for for about $40 year"
The directors are D. Edward Collins,
president; Rev. John It. Wills, vice
president; w. Almont Gates, secretary;
Charles Montgomery, treasurer; S. e.
Lynd, state superintendent; z. c.
Moore, o. p. Jenkins, Joseph P. Cham
berlain, Frank V. Cornish and w. H.