The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-11-15

,ranted during the present year are a
success. The ccnvicts who have walk
I'd forth from the prison walls of this
state to comparative freedom under
he parole system are making good
The record OF the parolcd criminals of
Michigan shows that the state is not
only protecting society from the raw
ages of the men whom its social con %
ditions have made "A menace. but il
shows also that Michigan is meeting
the burdensome duty of hunanelS
correcting and directing the lives OF
nen whom its social conditions have
made criminals. The state is today
LONG its duty by its criminal classes
more successfully and more fully than
ever before.
Work Misunderstood.
The larger per cent Of the trouble
which the advisory board of pardons
and the governor have to meet in
dealing with the parole of convicts
grows out of the fact trat there is
very vague MISUNDERSTANDING, in
the mind of the average reader, Cf the
lllbSAN INMATE StllNNllN' law. .lt spirit
IF this law is pdrely reformative. 1t is
the latest thing in the state of Michi-
GGn in the way of new penology. The
intent If the trainers Of the law, and
If the legislature which passed it. was
that the convict, who mad beer SEN
SerNel his minimum term and desires
to do right and become a honorable
citizen, should have the proper chance
under right conditions to become a
new man. Whenever a convict has
served his minimum term and desrese
honestly and sincerely To become q So
her. Industrious citizen. the parole Law
permits him TO take his place IN or
"anized society and prove his worth
II is the mission Of the board To see
that the powers of the parole law are
exercised in the behalf of such pris-
uner IN the other hand. the board
must stand between the unrepentant
non refornative convict who desires
his liberty SO that he may again prey
upon society, and the society which nc
outraged when ne was sentenced 10
serve the term in prison.
The provisions Of the indetcrminate
sentence law are such that discrim-
nation between convicts is entirely
impossible. There can be no discrim-
nation. In the first place, the law re-
Guires that the trial judge should
name a minimum sentence, at the ex
plrdtion Of which the convict shal!
hgt-a nj 70
parole. The law provided that the
clerk Of the court shall make "a record
%: the trial, stating the minimum ana
recommended maximum sentence. and
forward IL Ia the office Of the COVER.
nor When the minimum sentence ex-
pres The law provides that a blank
parole application shall be furnished
the convict by the warden The pris-
oner has the right 10 demand the
blank from the Warden's Office The
application is then To be made out by
the convict and II is forwarded TO The
governors office. The governor has al
ready in his files "A statement of the
trial and the date of expiration Of the
minimum sentence. His clerks know
when the board of pardOns is to meet
at the Michigan state prison, for in
stanc5, and they at once send 10 the
board the files of the cases in which
the minimum sentences have expired
These files reach Lansing just before
we do, and when we come we open
them and call the applicants before us
We 60 carefully into these cases. The
mans prison record is consulted His
weighed. and If everything tends to
show that he will become an honor.
able citizen he is granted parole
Consider Three Things.
There are three thing, which the
advisory board Of pardons takes into
consideration before granting a parole.
First, We must know what the pris
Oner's record in prison has beea one
Of the first laws Of success Is 10 krow
how 10 obey We endeavor to fifd out
the prisoners mental attitude regard
ing his punishment
Second. We must know what the
applicants environment will be If we
ltlttSt nun. w nat employ neIt ne
will have. who his companions will be
when he is set free.
Third we must know what the at
titude Of the community from whore
he came is in regard to his release on
parole. We get statements from tho
Judge. prosecutor, sheriff and wher-
ever possible. from the jurors in re-
gard To the ACCESSIBILITY Of the man be.
ing released.
IF all the reports are favorable, the
convict is quite apt to receive parole.
If, however. Lis prison record is one Of
constant rebellion against the authori
~. we weigh his application for elem
ency with extreme care. One II the
first things a convict who is paroled
should show is that he knows what II
is 10 observe the law. Again IL the ap
plicant has no position awaiting him.
and no possibility of a job in tn near
future. our duty to society would com
pel us To- say no" If his companions
are to be men who ought to be where