Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-08

WWTWNeT-
more credits he receives above debts tho
more money he will have when the eagerly
iooked-tor parole is granted 10 pay his cN-
pehSes 10 his place OF employment.
Prison Key in His own HSnds-
From the start he finds the prison key
In his own hands. and he is commanded
TO unlock the door as soon as he can. HIS
rate per day FOR work increases according
TO his grade Time spent in military drili
Is credited to him at grade rates and IS
increased he is promoted to an officer.
If he makes an average less than seventy
five for two consecutive months he drops
To "A lower grade, while 4 mark above sew
enty-hNe for six months gains him promo
Ton Six months Of such work in the
highest grade earns him his parole. and six
good months on parole earns his complete
liberty.
He rises at 10 = m goes to the shops
ut 40. has military drill from 34o until
rest before supper and after supper goes
10 fade school or school OF letters
until bedtime at S::s5. Lights are out at
o:" and thus he is sent to bed tired
enough 10 welcome sleep. II requiring spe-
cial physical training he is exercised sys-
may have even massage and vapor baths.
The detectives at Elmra are grouped
Into three distinct classes, Mathematical
detectives" are given special physical
training and special manual training work
illustrating mathematical problems. Com
troll detectives who lack power of self
drawing. pattern making, wood turning.
goometric construct .ons and special ath-
letics-all chosen because best developing
self-control General detectives" isolated
from the other inmates. are the lowest
class of these abnormals. They are the
products of bad hcredity for generations
back and correspond to those born GRIM
inals' whom crminoloEiSts estimate at ~
per cent OF our criminal population and
classed as hopeless But they are not hope
less from the Elm,ra point OF view.
Their characters are built up by spec al
courses in physical culture, baths and
massage: in frec-hand drawing, clay mod
cling, mental arithmetic. sentence building
and sloid-a Swedish system OF manual
training developing both the mind ana
body. Detectives, as soon as marked
Susceptible To general treatment" pass
into the regular classes. Thirty-iive diff
ferent trades taught in these and the
graduate is turned out with sufficient
knowledge of one to commence an honest
living. All punishment is meted out by
courts martial. at which defendants ara
represented by counsel, and thus appears
to them more just than where arbitrarily
determined by prison officials.
On Parole.
Before being liberated on parole the grad
uate of Elmira must obtain employment
satisfactory to the management and prefer
ably in the trade learned at the reforma-
tory. After release he must be under tho
supervision of a peace officer or agent of
the reformatory for at least six months
during which he must write monthly re-
port of his progress
Next to New York. Massachusetts has
made the most progress with the indeter-
inmate sentence and parole systems which
are open to first and second offenders. In
It's reformatory for mon under forty years OF
age there are workshops. trade schools and
evening classes In the woman's reform
atory, run by women. illiterates are taught
until they can read and write their
letters. Inmates taught house
wfery-cooking, darying, sewing, laun-
dering, baby nursing, and even gar
denng. They given the refining In
fiuence of music two evenings n week and
are informed of all of the news Of each day.
Having been graduated they can be paInled
to domestic service with private families
and many remain in the same homes after
parole.
Work for Discharged Prisoners.
The contrast of these pictures of modern
reformat tory influences with that better
known, black, melancholy picture of peni-
tertiary influence needs no comment. We
have seen the equipment for useful living
given first to the discharged penitentary
convict and then to the reformatory grad
rate. Some states take measures for start
ing the discharged penitentiary convict
Alright. The Massachusetts law authorizes
county officials to assist prisoners dis
charged from the jails and houses Of cor
rection, and at Dedha:n there is a temporary
asylum for discharged female prisoners,
mainly supported by private contributions.
The state approprates $1,000 a year for the
aid of ex-oonvicts from the state prison and
$1,000 for those from the state reforma-
tories, these sums being expended 10y an
agent of the prison commissioners. Through
a special woman agent $1,000 year Is also
distributed among discharged woman con-
Victs from any prisons of the state
The Hope Halls"
But surprising any other system for the
Of nf ig ,l,,t
recent years by Mrs. Maude Ballngton
Booth of the Volunteers of America. From
such raw ma terial as the most hardened
habitual criminals from more than score
of penitentaries she is turning out Jean
Valjeans day after day. Into her three
Hope Halls" in New York, Illinois and
Iowa, she is constantly receiving newly dis
charged convictS and sheterng them until
fit to start life anew. In the course Of her
missionary work in the various big peni-
tentiaries she volunteers to correspond with
any convicts who care to receive cheer
from outside. She tells NE that at her
Hope Halls all talk of past wrongdong Is
tabooed and everything is done to induce
forgetfulness of the criminal career and
prison life. All inmates must come to these
refugees direct from prison and without
stopping anywhere en- route. No discrimi-
nation is made as to the nature of the
crime the religion of the criminal All
inmates started in life with employers
who know of their past. and II is frequent
feat of Mrs Booth to go to employers
even bank oftcials-who have put men in
the penitentiary for abusing positions OF
trust. and to persuade them to take these
men back at their old desks. The inmates
of her refugees help to beautify the lawns
and gardens or to perform repairs and
household duties until suitable WORK Is
found for them outside. The rooms at these
Ravens are as cheerful nd home!ike as
those Of the comfortable country house. and
the inmates play base ball and indoor
games. or have parlor music during leisure.
IF Booth keeps them until the last stigma