The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-09-18
PAROLE LAW IN
THE DOMINION.

The Parole Law was Inaugurated in Can
ada Fourteen Years Ago. Since its
! Establishment 5,495 Have Been Pa
rolled; Only 167 Have Been Returned.
1t is nothing short of remarkable
how long remnants of barbarism
will remain with the people of a
highly civilized country. On this
continent one of these remnants is
found in the rules of many of our
penitentiaries and prisons. The
people are under the impression that
the majority of penal institutions
are governed by men who are
specialists, and have far greater
knowledge of the management of
fallen men than the average intelli-
gent citizen. This is not so. The
responsible offices are held in the
gift of party, just as much as the
average Office, and the governor or
guard goes to his job probably with
out days experience, with the
idea OF carrying opt the old obso-
lete prison or Lenitentiary rules.
However, with the best officials
and many of them are excellent
the men atthe head in our govern
ments and parliments must interest
themselves in reform before it will
be a thoroughly accomplished fact.
It is gratifying to find an official
like w. p. Archibald, of Ottawa,
parole officer Of the Dominion, do
ing an excellent work. The parole
system was inaugurated about four
teen years ago by Hon. David
Mills, a man of fine sincerity Of |
purpose. Speaking of what is be-
ing done under the parole system,
Mr.. Archibald is reported as say
ing: Many crimes are committed
for which the offender is committed
to penitentiary and is thereby
ostracised for life, while many men
in high financial and social positions
committed grayer crimes but es-
cape the penalties the law provide.
The former looses all chance Of sue
cess in life except through the pa
role system. Is would not be fair
to single out one year as criterion
of the results of the system, but the
fourteen years work show that we
have accomplished much good.
Since the system was established
5,495 men have been released on
parole and Of this number only 167
have been returned to the prisons
to complete their terms for further
misdemeanors; ABB paroled per-
sons have completed their sentences
and are not required to report any
longer and at present there are $50
reporting. These figures speak for
themselves and show that thousands
of men have been redeemed. 1t is
also of benefit to the country at
large, as the per capita cost of
prisoner is over $500, and the aver :
age wage of paroled man SO per
week. Thus those who were bur-
dens on the country, become pro-
ducers and support their families.
At present plan is under con- s
sideration whereby the wives and i
families of imprisoned men will be {
given percentage of the earnings |
of the prisoners while in the peni- i
tentiaries. In order to do this it
will be necessary to establish indus
trial plants at the prisons. On my {
present trip received large num- !
ber of applications for consider +
alton. l also discovered that SER {
ious crime is on the increase in ,
some of the provinces. but not to a
large extent when the increase in
is considered" !;
In addition to the parole system, t
Hon. Mr.. Hanna is setting a mag I
nifent example with the prison /
farm in Ontario, and start has
been made in Manitoba. 1t is ap- i
parent that only very small per-
centage of men who go to our pris-
ons are hardened criminals. There /
is great room fas effort along lines Q
of uplift rather than proceeding '
along the old lines of dark cells and i
humiliationeof a kind that shocks b