The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-03-29
BY JONATHAN WINFIELD.

rect Tic pTSSeHL mcluCuS u pIlSOH du-
ministration In the federal peniten-
tiaries. The penitentiaries at Atlanta,
Georgia, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
and Mcneil Island, Washington, are
under the Jurisdiction of the Depart
ment. In each of these institutions the
Attorney General will endeavor to
bring about many prison reforms. 1t
Is his purpose to so administer the af-
fairs of these institutions that they
rious states can obtain inside" infor-
nation on how to handle criminals
and 'how to bring about the reforma-
ton of the degenerate"
At Atlanta, Georgia, the Government
boasts that one of the most modern
institutions in the world has been es-
tablished. The measures adopted there
for the care of prisoners during their
Incarceration and of government guar
dianship after they have been dischar-
ged. are looked upon by criminologists
as one of the greatest adcancements
that has been accomplished by this or
any other government.
At Leavenworth, however, the fed
eral government has not been as lib
eral in the treatment of prisoners as
In the Atlantic Penitentiary. It is
explained by those who have charge
Of this institution that there is an en-
tirely different character of men sent
there than to the Atlanta Penitentiary.
At McNeil's Island reforms have not
been general.
This is not because there is any dis
position not to bring about reforms in
the management of this institution but
because all reforms that have been
started by the government have SO far
been of an experimental nature. Allan
ia was selected for the experiments
because of it's proximity to Washing
ton and because it is constantly under
the watchful eye of officials of the
Department of Justice.s There, too, are
sent the government prisoners who
have only technically" violated the
law, different class of men, it is ex-
planned from those who are incarcerat-
ed in the other penitentiaries.
Many fiction stories are published
from time to time of the hardships
encountered by first offenders after
endeavor to reform and decide never
again to lead the life Of a criminal. To
some extent officials believe that Of
tenders, or prisoners, do have a hard
time trying to be good" after they
leave prison. To help the first often
ders after they have quit their prison
cell, is one of the greatest problems
that confront criminologists. The fed
eral and state parole laws have help
ed greatly.
Robert V. Ladow, the superintend-
emit of federal prisons and perhaps one
of the best versed men in the country
on the latter" treatment of prisoners
Is authority for the statement that the
Federal Government has to a large ex-
tent solved this perplexing problem.
Under existing law, paroled prisoners
have every chance in the world of
making good" if they desire. ne third
of their sentence is taken off as q bo-
nus for good behavior. When a man Is
parolled, he is placed in the custody
of some friend who vouches for his
department and reports the progress
that the former inmates is making to-
ward living an upright life. p
The Federal Government keeps tai
ly every six months on these proba-
TONERS and the indexes show very few
men who break their bond. To a great
extent the prisoners Incarceration de-
termines his after life. Associations
formed in the penitentiary are often,
it is said, responsible for the conduct
Of prisoners after they leave the in
stitutions. Inequalities of sentence.
harsh treatment and numerous other
instances that occur during the pris-
oner's time in Jail all are matters that
come before the Superintendent of
prison. 1.
Through Ladow's efforts a federal
board of parole has been established
which has advocated many reforms
touching these matters. The indeter-
inmate sentence is one of the advan-
ces that have been made in the right
direction and one that aids the "fal-
len" man, if he has a desire to re-
form.
AS an example, case in Minneso-
ia is pointed out. A young man receiv
ed sentence of three years in the
penitentiary for counterfeiting silver
coins. Another, convicted or raising
one dollar bills to ten dollar bills re-
ceived a sentence of one and one half
years. Both were sent to the same
penitentiary. AS it happened they had
ID ,
ed the three year sentence was bitter
against society when he learned that
his lucky cell mate had received only
one year and a half. The result, in
Ladows estimation was that the
young man would have declared
vengeance against everyone when he
obtained his freedom. When his case
came before the parole board recon-