The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-04-25
~@(d!3EE 60 Co.
1xDETERM1NArE SENTENCES.

lNDETERMINATE SENTENCES.
The late legislature passed an act
providing for the sentencing of GRIM
inals to what is known as indeterm-
mate sentences and for a system of
parole. The legislation is along the
lines of prison and criminal reforms
which have been developing in this
country for many years. 1t is hoped
that the results which come from
the changed conditions in the treat
ment OF criminals will be as advan-
tageous as the advocates of the meas
ure desire. But it should not be car
ried too far. ,gs,r-
The same legislature provided that
boards of county commissioners may
erect work houses in which prisoners
shall be required to perform manual
labor to in part pay the expense OF
keeping them in Jail and feeding them
at the cost of the taxpayers. The
Evening Times believes this is one
of the good pieces Of legislation which
the state received at the hands of
the late legislature. 1t believes that
the habitual criminal, the blind pig
ger and the holdup artist, should be
made to understand that violation of
the law means punishment to the vio-
lator. A few years ago Louisiana was
overrun by horde of worthless and
dangerous tramps, whose depreda-
lions were terror to isolated COM
munities. No law was able to con-
troll them until the legislature passed
one providing that all persons without
visible means of support should be
arrested and heavily fined and in de-
fault of the payment of the fine should
be placed at hard labor under guard
on the public roads. Within a few
months a tramp could not be found
in that state and the provisions of
the law have been made applicable
to many other crimes with the result
that there is a marked decrease in
the states criminal record.
The indeterminate sentence is all
right if it Is not abused. There is
a distinction between the classes of
criminals. One class commits crime
merely as an occupation. In this may
be grouped professional burglars,
highway robbers and horse thieves.
These men commit their crimes de-
liberately and with the calm purpose
of taking the property and lives of
others. There is little hope that they
will reform and become good citizens.
There have been some notable in
stances where this has been done, but
the records of those who have not
would fill many pages more than
would the records of those who have.
The othre class is composed of
those who commit crime while labor
ing under intense passion and when
reason is for the time being dethroned.
These men are not criminals at heart
The application of the indeterminate
sentence to them would not only be
humane but it would be justice. Many
of these men-in fact the great ma
jority of them-couli be left without
punishment and society would be safe
SO far as they are concerned. The
rigors of the law place these men in
the same class as the hardened GRIM
inal leaving only the discretion Of the
sentencing court to provide for the
difference. 1t were indeed we'll if the
law be made sufficiently flexible to be
merciful to this class of violators.
The other class in the great ma
jority of cases will be just as great
a menace to society and as great
danger to life and property when the
term is ended as when it began. They
seldom reform because of their con-
science, but when they do it is be-
cause the rigors of the law complete
ly break the spirit Until human ma
ture is SO changed that it is perfect,
the principles of the indeterminate
sentence can not with safety be APP
piled to this. class Of criminals.