The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-09-04
PARDON BOARD
USING CAUTION


II. ~ Travis Of Pint. and y. {.
Rice, of st. Joseph members of the
board of pardons. have concluded [
two days session at the Marquette
prison during which they heard over
twenty applications for parole and
other forms of clemency and granted
several paroles. DR. Roach, of Kcar-
sarge, the third member of the board,
was not able to attend the session.
The board has been tightening
down ON paroles" Mr.. Travis remark
ed yesterday, i'm commenting on its
work. and as "A result il is believed
that the showing of parolcd men who
make good will bc much better in the
future than at any time i'm the past.
At that it has been good enough to
put Michigan in first rank among the
states that have adopted the system.
Last year So per cent of the men re-
leased on parole lived up To- the re-
duircmcnt Of the board. This was
better showing than was reported 10y
any other state. At the present time
i believe more than - per cent of the
paroled men are meeting their obh-
cations and large numbers of them
are doing notably we'll, gradually get
ting firmly ON their feet and able to
look after their families.
The Increased care Of the board i'm
granting paroles will he manifested
particularly in the case of men who
have been returned To prison for vio-
lations. In such eases we will require
the establishment of a very strong
ease before a second chance is given.
old offenders will also find it diff
cult To secure clcmency unless they
can make a convincing showing"
Publicity Has Helped.
The new policy of publicity pursued
by the board has had highly beneficial
results. both Mr.. Travis and Mr. Rice
assert Whenever serious case is
before the board inyolcving a crime
that at the time it was committed
aroused great public interest, the fact
that the board is considering the pit
tition of the convict for clcmcncy is
made known To the newspapers i'm the
county where he was convicted. OPP
portunity is given the public to thresh
over the merits OF the case and the
board escapes criticism that might
otherwise hc aimed at it.
The purpose is to cngcndor public
confidence in its work and as a result
of the policy its paroles have been APP
proved generally In the ordinary run
of cases. however. there is no public
ity. the desire being to permit the pa
rolcd men TO slip back into ordinary
life as inconspicuously as possible.
1900 Cases Annually.
The board OF pardonS is one of the
busiest of state boards, as some Loo
eases Of convicts seeking clemency
come before it's members each year
In each Of these cases an extensive
record has to he prepared. 1t includes
the recommendation of the judge, of
the prison officials, of the prosecuting
attorney. and, in many instances. a
searching personal investigation 10y q
member OF the board at the place
whore the crime for which sentence
was pronounced was committed. All
this is preliminary L. the actual hear
ing of the convict at a session of the
board and final disposition of his case.
While the Marquette prison is visit
cd but quarterly by the board it holds
weekly sessions i'm the lower peninsula,
visiting in turn the pcnitentiary at
Jackson. the rcformatory at lonia and
the House If Correction at Detroit.
The men parolcd from Iunia make the
best showing This is accounted for
by the fact that they are all compare
lively young aud first offenders