South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-16
ADULT PROBATION
LAW SAVES MANY
Report Shows Only 1898 Per
Cent of 1853 Suspended
Sentences "Went Bad" Dur
ing Seven and Half Years.

INIIANAPOLIS. Dec. 16.-How
men and women are reclaimed under
Indiana adult probation law is
shown by a report just issued here
from the board of state charities
Adult probation means the system OF
suspending sentences inflicted by
courts. during the good behaviour of
the culprits 1t IS different from the
indeterminate sentence laws of the
state because those apply 10 prisoners
already incarcerated ina Indiana penal
institutions and released therefrom
during the period of their incarcera-
gives the convicted men and women a
chance for their white alleys" before
they are sent 20 prison.
The report showed that 30.3S per
cent of the total number given sus-
pendel sentences went bad which
IS Il slightly higher percentage in
seven and one-half years (the dura-
ton OF the system I'M Inciana) than
was reported for the operation OF
the indeterminate sentence laws dur
ing the IL II years they have been
on trial.
Judges of the several circuit and
criminal courts in the state are au-
thorized under the adult pro bation
law To- suspend sentences OF persons
convicted Of felony OF misdemeanor
or who have pleaded guilty TO such a
charge except for the crimes of muir
der. arson, burglary, rape, treason or
kidnapping So far as this law applies
TO ulisd emeanants, there are no avail
able statistics of results. When the
sentence is to one of the state prisons
OT the TefOrmatOry, however the pro-
batiOned offender is thereafter in the
legal custody and control of the in
stitutiOn TO which he would have been
sent, and is subject TO the rules and
regulations governing paroled prison
ers. OF this class the institutions
named keep accurate records.
443 went Wrong"
In the seven and One-half years the
law has operated sentence was sus-
pended in the cases of 1 ASS men and
women, $50 of whom otherwise would
have had To go 10 the state prison,
942 to the reformatory and SO To the
wOman's prison. The law provides
that if these persons on probation vio-
late their parole, the original sentence
shall be carried out. This was done
in the case Of las prisoners. while 2SS
others who We're delinquent had not
been apprehended up to the close of
the fiscal year. These 443 Gelinquents
constituted 3O.3S per cent of the
whole number placed on probation.
The percentage of violations reported
from the various institutions was as
follows State prison, 26.O4; reforma-
tory, $3.50; womans prison, 30.56; Of
the remaining LOIS, seven died, six
were awaiting employment, 313 were
under supervision and 689 had been
discharged.
The reports from the state prison
show that OF $50 men, whose sentence
To that institution was suspended, so
were reporting at the close of the
year. six were awaiting employment,
four had died and 265 had been dis
charged. There were 125 delinquents.
OF whom 55 were apprehended and
taken 10 prison. The TefOrmatOry re-
ports 942 men placed under its super
vision, 227 of whom were reporting
at the close of the year three had
died. 400 had been discharged and 500
were delinquent. Eighty-three of
these delinquent men had been sent
20 the rcformatOry.
From the Womans prison the re
ports indicate SO women under super
vision. of whom six were reporting at
the close OF the year, 10 had been dis
charged and ID were delinquent, seven
of the latter having been taken TO
prison.