The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-08-07
Notes and new$
Of Interest
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Il wah brought us to believe in the
doctrine of total depravity, but I am
now convinced that no man ever be-
comes so degraded that he can not be
redeemed to useful citizenship" This
was the utterance of Judge Mckenzie
Cleland, president of the National Pro
baton League, after presiding thirteen
months over the criminal court at the
Maxwell street station, Chicago, admit
teddy one of the worst districts of pow
erty, vice and lawlesSness in the world.
After coming in daily contact with the
lowest element in American society, the
dregs that settle to the bottom in a
population of two and a quarter mil
lions, Judge Cleland convinced not only
himself but the thousands that became
interested in his probation system, that
there is hope for the submerged tenth "
When Chicago's municipal court was
established, Mckenzie CIeland was nom
mated and elected one of the judges.
He stood high in his profession, having
the endorsement of the Chicago Bar As
ISOLATION, but his record was unique in
that he was entirely without experience
in criminal law, and had never tried a
criminal case He was assigned to the
Maxell street court in Chicago's ghetto,
where thirty nationalities are crowded
! together and is considered the breeding
| place for a greater number of criminals
htan any other district of similar size
anywhere in the world. Judge Cleland
found full docket every morning. He
was appalled, at the number of repeat
erS" which was enough to convince him
that the method of dealing with offend
erS not only failed to reform the GRIM
| 1nal but, the greater pity, the law pro-
| vided for him, clothed, fed and housed
fhim, while it left his family to suffer.
All of the Tag cures" in the country
were offered me" says Judge Cleland,
and [ discovered that most people would
like to quit. I simply impressed upon
them first, that they could quit, and sec
ond that they had to quit, and they did.
That's all there is to it."
Such statement would be laughed at
unless it were supported by actual re-
suits and few cases would prove moth
ing, but when the number is reckoned by
the hundred, one is warranted in the
conclusion that the method is effective.
Finding it very desirable to have assist
ance in looking after the paroled men to
help them in finding work, Judge Clel-
and called for volunteer probation of
hcers. Four hundred men offered their
services, and In this number were many
busy professional men and men at the.
head of large business houses, who gave
willingly of their time and thought to
the work, because they believed in it.
Two of the largest banks in the city be-
came interested and offered to open a
savings account at $500 to the credit of
any probationer who would deposit an
equal amount within a year During the
thirteen months Judge Cle1and was at
the Maxwell street station he tried up
wards of 5000 cases, and placed 1881 on
parole5 1884 kept the terms of their par
ole and became sober industrious citi-
zens. Judge C1eland believes that the
majority of criminals can be reformed
without imprisonment through the
means of suspended maximum SEN
tence, The law must not be applied in
a spirit of revenge, but to strengthen
the morally weak. This is Judge Clel-
and's conception of the newer Justice
Hollands