The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-09-25
ADVOCATES new
PLAN IN EAST

former St. Cloud Reformatory Superin-
tendent Randall, Urges Penal Reform
in Massachusetts,. Advocates Plan
Similar To The One In Use In This
State for Convicted Men and Women.
An indeterminate sentence plan,
called a new aud seemingly rev.
olutionary prison SYSTEM" by the
Boston. Transcript, is being advo-
Gated in Massachusetts, by Frank L.
Randall, head of the prison COM
mission of the Bay State and for
mer superintendent of the Mime
sofa reformatory at st. Cloud. The
Transcript neglects to say, how
ever, that the plan of fixing the
prison terms by a prison commits
sion is substantially the same as the
indeterminate sentence plan adopt
ed in Minnesota two years before
Mr.. Randall left the state, the pa
role board here corresponding to
the prison commission in Mass
achusetts. The main difference is
that Mr.. Randall advocates an in.
determinate sentence for all offend
ers, while the Minnesota law still
permits judges to give a definite
sentence for murders and some
other of the most serious crimes.
AS quoted in the Transcript, Mr..
Randall summaries his plan as fol-
lows:
Persons convicted of crime
should be dealt with by the courts
no further than the point where a
court finds that a particular individ-
ual committed a specified criminal
act.
The object Of imprisoning such
convicted persons should be first to
change the anti-s social temper of
those who can be changed. and to
send them back into society as soon
as it is safe for society. through
their changed attitude, for them to
be at large.
The second object should be to
remove permanently from the social
freedom they have abused. those
convicted persons who through
various defects are incapable of
keeping out of crime when they are
at large; and, in addition those who
cannot be persuaded to give up,
genuinely, their anti-social atti-
tude.
Sentence for particular terms,
or to particular institutions should
not be imposed by Judge when a
person has been convicted of COM
hitting crime or misdemeanor.
All convicted persons should be
turned over to commission
charged with full responsibility for
their care and custody under an
indeterminate sentence, with au-
thority to release them at such
time and on such terms, and after
such discipline and moral educa-
tion as would substantially guar
antee their future harmlessness to
society"
Mr.. Randall urges that the pres
ent prisons and reformatories be
for the treatment of acute cases
only, while a custodial asylum
should be established for chronic
offenders, who have demonstrated
their incapacity of viciousness, or
their corrupting influence. and for
men whose future no prospect of
good citizenship can be discerned.
Commitment to such an institution
he says, would not mean life i'm
prisonment, but would continue un-
til such time as a change might
come.
Mr.. Randall also points out that
under his system the defense of in
sanity would not be heard in the
courts. All the court would have
to determine is whether an act for
hidden by law was committed. The
commission could then determine
what treatment or degree of con-
fnement was best for him and for
the protection of society.
Mr.. Randall speaks Of the judges
unscientific d duty, that under
present laws they must sentence,