The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-11-21
CRIME
Statistics of Interest Given
and Paroles are Urged
in a Report.

/ report OF the Committee on Re.
iormatory Work and Parole. to the
American Prison Association, now
holding congress in this city, has
! just been made By Frank Moore, OF
RAILWAY, N j. chairman OF the com.
/ mittee. The report vas in part as
follows:
The report Of the Census BIZ
reau on the Prison Population OF the
United states, published December
i 80, 1911, shows something of how
great the criminal question is with
which the American Prison Assocl-
alton has to deal. The ratio OF pris-
oners on January /, 1910, was l25
to each 100000 of our popula-
tion, while the ratio OF commitments
during that year was 1925 to each
100000 citizens. Thus 1t appears
that at the beginning of the year
1910 one person out of every 500
greeted the New Year in prison, and
that during that same year for every
100 persons in our total population
there was one prison commitment.
The entire number confined during
the year was 4T9,163. This num-
Der is greater than the population OF
any one Of ten states, and 1t is larger
than the combined populate on OF the
four states: Wyoming, Nevada,
Alaska and Delaware
From the census IT also appears
that there is an increase in the nun.
Der of those who are being commit
ted to penal institutions. The cen
sus of 1890 shows 100 prisoners
for every 100000 population, the
census of 1900 shows 100 clio.
while the census Of 1910, as already
stated, is 1875. The census Of Eng,
land for 1910 shows 1856 tried in
courts for every 100000. while our
census shows 522 actually impris-
oned for the same number.
The first month an offender is IN
custod'al care is the most vital part
Of his confinement. During that
time 1t is of the utmost Importance
that he sohuld be completely iso-
lated from the rest Of the popula-
ton. The receiving ward is the
most valuable part of an institution;
not as means of preventing con-
contagious diseases from spreading,
not that it may be used for the in
struction of the inmate I'm the rules
and spirit of the institution; these
are both needful. but the necessary
thing above everything else is that
1t should become a psychological
laboratory, where not only the men
tai ability of the inmate should be
carefully determined. but where the
hidden secrets that lie back of the
crime he committed shall be dis
covered. Iiere in the receiving ward
the physician, the psychologist and
the wise disciplinarian-the Officer
Of keenest perception, are all needed
to discover the very taproot of che
mans evil deeds in order that his
assignment to work may be wise,
the discipline to be administered to
him just, and co in the end the man
reformed Il
After drawing attention to some
Of the types OF offenders VINO present
special mental and physical difficult.
ties. and reviewing the existing
methods of rerormatory work, Mr..
Moore took UP tho question of pa
role. He said that some persons
claimed IS per cent, Others &c per
cent. and still others 81 per cent of
paroled prisoners make good. He
quoted one Investigator as follows:
Il believe that 20 per cent Of the
boys paroled make greater average
of success than is made by the pec-l
p,c in the class from which they
come. This is due TO the training
and preparation they get at the in
stitution. Another 25 per cent make
good to the extent of living free
from crime and can be classified as
good citizens, sustaining the rela-
tons of life in creditable manner.
Another % per cent are more or less
on the ragged edge, having dlspo-
sition TO minor vices and bordering
often on criminal conduct. From
this class many are returned to the
institution for second commit
ment. The last 25 per cent are fee
BILE minded. degenerate specimens
of the race. 1t would be better for
them and for society If they were
under some modified system OF hp-
name restraint that would prevent
them from entering into the complex
relations OF civilization and repro