The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-30
Police Judge Arnold Has Plan
for Work House.
Would Pay Small Wages to De-
pendent Ones.
HE BELIEVES IN SMALL FINES
Prisoners Good viii Should
Be Sought, He Says.
Too Often He Believes PrOsecu-
ton Is Persecution.

n. B. Arnold, police judge. favors
the establishment of a work house in
Topeka. In addition. he believes in
using discretion in assessing fines for
petty crimes and for the parole system
but not the installment plan.
According to Judge Arnold. the
work house would be the means of
Kidding the city of professional loaf
ers, and other undeSirables- 1t would
cause many husbands to support their
families, thus relieving the city po-
lice of a lot of work and stop wife
beating, he believes
The work house, he says, would
serve as an educational institution for
young men who have never acquired
the habit of industry. By teaching
young BOYS the rudiments of indus
trial trades they would become friends
instead of enemies to society. He also
believes that with the establishment
of city work house that the persons
confined therein should be allowed
small compensation for their labors.
He suggests that this compensation be
paid direct to their families thus pro-
viding a system for the support of the
family while the wage Garner of the
family is in the work house. This sys-
tenn would relieve much suffering.
Small Fines Are Best.
Judge Arnold does not believe in
eraI reasons for this. The best reas-
on which the judge can give is that
small fines reduce the prisoners i'll
feeling toward society. A heavy fine
Usually causes the prisoner to believe
that he or she is being prosecuted in
increases their viciOusnesS to such a
degree that the prisoner becomes
lifelong enemy of society.
The average man, according to
Judge Arnold, can see the justice of a
small fine. A heavy fine usually
causes the accused to believe it was
assessed through malice on the part
of the judge, or police department.
given light fine, will pay it, but they
would be unable to pay if given
heavy one. In this way the police
court is successful in collecting small
amounts to turn into the city treasury.
A heavy fine would cause the prison
er to lie in Jail at the expense of the
city.
The parole is another excellent sys-
tenn, especially in the municipal
courts, Judge Arnold says. A pa
realizes that he is under the surveil-
ance of the entire police department
and that every member of the de-
partment knows him. For this rea-
son, he is more likely to adopt hon
orable methods of living. He realizes
that to continue in former habits will
result in certain punishment.
Judge Arnold asserts that the pa
role system also CenQS TO reduce a |
prisoners ill feeling toward society.
without the authority to parole a |
prisoner. the judge would send prfs- |
oners without money to Jail. Persons |
arrested for drunkenness. fighting or |
petty crimes of this character usual |
ly pay their fines. They are seen more |
often in police court than those who |
have been paroled for such offences. !
The parole system is seldom used |
when the judge believe the prisoner
can pay the fine or secure the money |
to pay it without hardship.
TnStaIIment Payments Bad.
Paying fines on the fnSta1lment plan
has not been a success in the local
police department Such a system |
might be successful if there was a |
officer on the force. In |
the absence of such an officer, the |
payments do not receive the proper /
the prisoner becomes deIin- /
quent and the entire fine is seldom
collected.
And so the easiest way to solve the |!
problem of the prisoner and his fam /
lily seems to be the work house. the I
Judge believes. BY paying small +
wages to the family of the prisoner I
much of the present day distress can /