The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-08-22
JAIL AND PROBATION
Under the Probation system Men
Leaving Jail Are Given
Chance to Make
Good.

III jail man becomes shlItleSS be-
cause of loss of employment and the
discouragements due to long confne-
ment.
In Jail a man degenerates under
the influence of foul surroundings and
constant association with hardened
criminals.
In jail a man becomes victim to
the stigma of crime which follows
him wherever he goes.
After leaving a Jail a man finds 1t
hard to get work.
After leaving jail there Is every
chance that he will be convicted for
subsequent offense, often worse
than the first. This does not mean
we should tear down the jails. Re-
member, we stand pat on the propo-
sition that punishment is necessary,
where the facts show an abandoned
or malignant heart. Such a law
breaker seals his own fate by prov
ing his inability to live and let live,
under the laws which men have made
for the protection of ALL But what
about a case of this sort? Peter
Stone was an eighteen-year-old boy
He never had a chance. During in
fancy his father died, and his moth
er's second husband soon quit them
in abject poverty. At thirteen he was
left an orphan. Poverty, squalor and
ignorance were his inheritance. Pc
ter's first Job was in a clock factory
During the summer following he was
laid off, No work was in sight any
where, so Peter drifted down to a
summer resort. He Jared no whit
better there, and, being almost starv-
ed, in desperation stole watch with
which to get some food. Stone was
caught, convicted and sentenced
When he had served his time he was
no better off than when he began It.
Up against it, with nowhere to turn,
he hoboed around. The next scrape
he got into was bicycle theft. He
plead guilty. There are hundreds OF
boys doing time in Georgia who are
not a bit worse than Peter Stone.
The only difference in them is that
Peter Stone lived in the state Of Con-
necticut, while these others live in
the Empire State of the South.
Probation is system by which a
court of criminal jurisdiction is vest
ed with certain discretionary powers
in dealing with offenders, SO as to en-
able it to allow the lawbreaker his
his liberty under conditions fixed by
the court, which he must comply with,
under the friendly, yet authoritative
guidance and oversight of an officer
of the court, known as probation Of
ficer.
Eighteen states have such a sys-
tenn, and one of these is Connecticut.
And so it happened that upon the plea
of guilty being entered in case of
The State VS. Peter Stone, the judge
sentenced the boy to one year in the
penitentiary, but suspended sentence
and placed him on probation. For the
first time in his life the young fellow
got what he needed all along, a real
friend. Force OF circumstances had
driven him into crime, and SO the
probation officer saw to it that he
would make circumstances such that
the seeming necessity for crime would
he forever removed. This man got
Peter a Job in a brass foundry, help
cd him find a clean, wholesome board.
ing house and taught him to be self
reliant and self-respecting. Three
years have slipped by since that SEN
fence was suspended. Looking at that
boy today, you would never read In
his honest features the story of mis-
ery and want and ignorance which
led him into life Of dishonor.
In jail Peter Stone lived entirely
at public expense.
On probation Peter Stone was self
supporting.
In Jail Peter Stone became shift
less due to the discouragements OF
long confinement.
On probation he was on the Job and
the friendly influence of the proba-
ton officer made him happy to stick
there.
In jail Peter Stone was in the con
slant association of crooks and black
guards.
On probation he had friend whose
aid he could invoke and whose friend
ly interest he could be sure of, SO
long as he was ION the square,
After leaving Jail a man finds 1t
hard to get work.
When Peter Stone was discharged
from probation he was at work and
had been for some time and was
more than making good.
The story Of this young fellows
life is typical of what great many
other lives could be. If this way Of
dealing with the first offender COM
mends itself to the wisdom Of our
lawmakers. The state is trying to
rake the eypok straight and not more
yillainous. u is not doing this be-
cause it loves the criminal, but be-
cause in reformation lies the best
method of protection. If this be true,
then the best path towards reforma-
ton would seem to be the shortest
towards protection