The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1913-10-30

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entered an element that was unthought of former
H. gniS element has no DO with the reclama-
ton OF the convicts the development of their moral
senses and their ultimate return to the world as
law-abiding citizens, rather than human derelicts
made unfit, through their prison life, for any fur
Their attempt to lead an honest existence.
The idea Of convict road labor is to aid
both the state and the convict to give the state
the benefit of the labor that can be utilized to
greater advantage in this way than in any other
and to give the convict the benefit of the out
door life, the freedom from the restraint of prison
walls and the different character of discipline that
makes it possible for him to regain his selfrespec
In working out this idea, especially with
the view to the reformation Of the convicts, old
ideas of prison regulations necessarily have disap
peared and the whole system OF discipline has been
revolutionized. The honor system has taken the
place of armed guards, in many instances, and the
road camp has replaced the stockades and bull
pens" of the old days of convict road labor
Colorado was one of the first states to adopt the
idea New Jersey began experiments along
the same line short time later. President Wood
row Wilson, then governor of New Jersey, is given
credit for the Inauguration of the convict road
work in that state along the lines. Several
other states have fallen in line each working
possibly in different way, but toward the
general end.
Illinois is the latest state to make begin
ming in this work. A force of nearly one hun
dred convicts recently taken from the peni-
tertiary at Joliet and placed at work on the
roads Armed guards dispensed with and
the men were placed upon their honor. The
convicts pledged themselves to make no effort
to escape and the authorities are relying upon
their keeping this promise
In this case tendency developed on the
part of the people to overdo the idea of giving
the convicts greater liberty and pleasure. A
plan to give the convicts an automobile ride
and theater party in nearby city was pro-
posed to the authorities but Governor Dunno
VotOa ia and OF ha rndo tnot
while 1t is planned to give the convicts greater
freedom than they have been accustomed to
within the prison walls and to aid them in get
ting better view of life, the fact that they
have been sentenced to pay a penalty for in
fraction OF the states laws must not be forgot
ten and the men must be made to realize that
punishment awaits such violations Of the stat
utes.
The working OF convicts upon the roads in
Colorado made possible only a few years
ago by act OF the legislature. The system has
been generally adopted throughout the state
during the past two or three years. the various
counties cooperating with the state In the Inn
provement Of the highways The result is seen
in many miles Of splendid roads built by the
convicts.
The honor system was adopted smultaneo
with the placing OF the convicts on the roads
in Colorado All of the convicts were snot
turned loose from the penitentiary without
guards, but certain percentage of the prison
ers including those having the best prison rec
ords were taken from the pententiary first as
experiment AS the success OF the expert
ment seemed evident to the authorities the num-
Der of honor increased and more
than so pe~ cent. of the convcts were finally
removed from the prison and placed in the road
camps.
Warden lyman and other prison authorities de-
clare the experiment has been more sue
eessful than they anticipated
During the last three years we have had more
than thousand individual prisoners in the
convict camps" says the warden. These men.