Grand Forks daily herald. (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1914-1916, 1914-11-14

"ANOTHER CHANCE"
The problem OF aiding those unfor-
tunates who. by reason of their hav-
Ing violated the laws OF a country, are
doomed to spend q term behind pris-
on bars, is one which Is taking up the
attention of the Christian world to-
day. and different plans and sugges-
tons have been carried with more
or less success in some instances,
while in others they have proven q
dismal failure.
But this failure should not prove a
disappointment to those who feel that
the man or woman who has paid the
penalty for crime is entitled to an.
other chance, when once he or she
has left the gloomy walls Of the place
Of their compulsory confinement be-
hind and comes out into the glorious
sunlight OF freedom, to either take UP
life anew with the idea Of o%bliterating
the past or. still possessed Of tho ten
dency to criminality, to return to the
old life of crime.
1t Is noble work, this extending the
hand to one with the crimson let
ter" Of shame on his or her breast,
and q recen dispatch from Illinois
gives most interesting and encourag-
ing reports of the uplift work being
conducted by %convicts themselves, in
the state p%enitentiary at Joliet.
The convicts point with pride to the
achievements at the university Of
Another Chance" where prisoners
have proven that they can be eutrust-
cd with their own government. This
unique institution, which is in reality
New Jerseys reformatory, reports
that the prisoners govern themselves
better than a host Of guards could
govern them. The spirit Of self-reli-
ance, Of usefulness, of faith in the
good will of their fellow men, has
been preserved and strengthened be-
mind the bars, and the %convicts see
the bright light of "the chance LOOM
Ing In the horizon.
New Jerseys reformatory at Rah-
way is an institution where the pris-
oners study themselves. DR.. frank
Moore, the superintendent, tells his
charges that his business is not to
criticise the bad, but to find the good
and cultivate it. And so his scheme
Of giving the prisoners the power Of
self-government and f.discipline
has worked out successfully. In two
years the infractions OF the prison
rules decreased from 1859 to 1857.
The older prisoners, who are working
for the privilege Of being treated like
citizens, are seldom reported, and their
conduct has done much to tame the
new inmates.
On July 18th of this year, each Of
the fourteen tiers elected two councils
men to represent it. Each Tuesday
and Friday the council. meets to act
upon reports Of ~misbehavior OF in
mates. The council has a presiding
judge. and a secretary, who is clerk
OF the court. Prisoners must face
their accusers, and they are given the
privilege of cross-examination in their
OWL defense. If the accused is found
guilty, he is sentenced to the loss of
some privilege. The decisions of the
council are not subject to approval of
the superintendent or any officer of
the institution, and none Of the Off
GERS have any voice in the delibera-
tons. If a councilman m~isbehaves, he
is tried by his fellow councilmen.
Never has the decision Of the coun-
Gil failed to meet with the approval
Of the prisoners. And under its rule,
discipline has improved to such an
extent that Doctor Moore has greatly
increased the privileges Of the. In.
mates.
The prisoners have conducted a
baseball league Of eight teams this
summer, and teams from the outside
have played the reformatory boys. The
spirit Of manliness and honor has been
retained and strengthened. and In
many cases injected in these prison
ers. and the result is a widespread
demand for the adoption of the idea
In other prisons that the chance" is
real