Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-07-17
THE IOWA PAROLE LAW.

i
calls attention to what it believes IS a
veal point in the Iowa parole law
When a man or woman, it sets forth,
goes wrong. violates the laws OF tne
country, gets caught at 1t ana Is
sentenced and convicted to the penn
Tertiary there are two ways in Wnlcn
lost character and standing may be re-
trieved after the penalty shall nave
been paid. One Is to return to the OLD
haunts and live down the disgrace, ana
the other Is to seek. another location,
start upon life's journey anew ana
prove worthiness by blameless living.
In the first case it is expected that
the victim will bring fruits meet TOT
repentance" which means that ne
must tear away from former associates
and mingle with the good and the
pure. The Record goes on to show
what an almost impossible task is i'm
posed upon the paroled man. It says:
1t may seem easy to fulfill the first
condition but it is awfully. hard to
carry out the second part Of the pro-
gram Tearing away from former as
sociations is the work of the in
diyidual largely, but mingling IN
social equality with those who regard
themselves far above a former con-
yict rests with the party of the sec
ond part. If they do not desire MS
companionship and spurn his presence
the poor fellow who has done time
in the penitentiary must seek again
his old associates or else deny himself
companionship with his fellow men.
The parole system here in Iowa
presupposes that a person who mas
been sentenced to prison because OF
some crime can best retrieve honor
In the community where he lost 1t ana
hence If he is to partake OF the bene-
fits Of the parole system he is forced
to return to his former haunts. He Is
bound by a solemn compact not 70
leave the county wherein the crime
was committed, and thus bearing upon
his forehead the mark Of Cain he must
meet without :finching the people VINO
familiar with his past life, know every
mis-step he has ever made, are quite
well acquainted with his ancestry, and
If there are other black sheep any
where in the family the blood will
tell, advocate is on hand with
knowing 81 told you so" air, and with
a finger of scorn he points out the I'M
a man with a nerve Of steel to face
such conditions. Nine cases out OF ten
he will mingle again with former as
sociates, and while he may fulnil the
obligations assumed when he was
paroled he is in the midst OF vertl-
able hell.
If there is that potency in environ
ment that we are taught to observe
then indeed should the man carrying
the burden of his own misconduct De
placed where he can best rise above
the besetment that held him prisoner
and standing on his resolves for bet
ter life be permitted to vindicate his
manhood.
A system that imposes such penal
ties on paroled prisoner with a,y1eW
of helping him, the Record holds to be
wholly wrong. 1t believes 1t would pc
thousand times better to encourage
him to seek other environments, form
other associations. and mingle with
strangers, where his every act will not
be a subject of comment and his eff
forts toward the better life thwarted
by invidious and uncharitable criti-
cism It is all right, says the Record
in concluding the presentation of its
views, to require a strict accounting
on the part of the paroled; it is just
and proper that he make monthly
statements to the parole board as to
his whereabouts, his hopes, his ambi-
tions and his aspirations: every condl-
ton now imposed ought to be required
of him-except that he ought not to
be forced to go back to the place
where his troubles overlook him.