The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-03-26
Ed TO r. A L -.
WHY WE FAVOR AN INDEFINITE SEN
TENCE LAW

|h| IDENTIFY is not a believer in the indefinite
sentence law, in his notes last week,
II asked the editor to give his reasons for
TIT favoring the same, stating that there were
any number of inmates who were not in
favor of it, but who are open to cOnvc-
ton.
II We thought we had made our position
clear on this subject and that our reasons
were so plainly given that the boys could
all grasp our meaning, and readily see the
great benefit the indetermnate law really
is to the inmate, and what advantages
there are accruing from it over the old method of
fixed time sentences.
To look at the matter fairly and impartialy,
we must open our eyes to the fact that laws are
not made to please convicted men; nor is the GRIM
inal taken into consideration, to any great extent
when laws are made. The purpose of all criminal
laws is first for the protection of society against
the evil doer; to safeguard property rights, life,
and the individual we-being of law abiding citi-
zens. We don't believe anyone will dispute the
righteousness of this purpose question it's wis
dom. A criminal cannot expect to be permitted
to pursue criminal career unmolested, or to
escape punishment for his crime when appre-
hended. We are all agreed upon this point.
and the length of time they shall be compelled to
serve the state, every man is entitled to his own
opinion, and in giving ours we do not wish to be
understood vocing the sentiment of all the
prisoners here confined, or of any one connected
with the institution. What we say merely repre-
sents our own individual views conclusions ar
rived at after careful thought and study of the
matter, and looking at the question from every
possible angle.
The system of fixed term sentences has been in
vogue for centuries. 1t was adopted originally
for one particular purpose the PUNISHMENT of
criminals. 1t has remained on the statute books
of all civilized and barbaric nations for ages; the
only variation difference being the length of
time such sentences should be made to cover.
When the world and society began to realize
that ALL convicted of crime were not morally
dead and that for it's own sake the reformation of
it's fallen members preferable to abandonment,
men of ideas labored long and thoughtfully to de-
wise means whereby DESERVING criminals might be
helped and eventually made pure enough to again
take their place in the social realm, which they
had lost through ndiscretion.
These studied the conditions which had
led the offender to commit crime. They invest-
gated prison conditions; then they turned their
attention to the courts and to the methods pursued
in the sentencing of men. Their investigation
satisfied them that prevailing customs were wrong
and that under them there was scarcely any in
centive for convicted man to look forward to
anything other than life of continued crime
They saw men sentenced to long fixed terms of i'm
prisOnment for trivial ofenses, while others with
unsavOry criminal records were either acquitted or
let off lightly with year less. They found
that the law did not recognize the circumstances
surrounding the case, no matter how extenuating
they might be; nor did it take into consideration
the character record or possible influence the SEN
tence inflicted might have upon the accused.
They found men in prison who had long since re-
pented of their crimes and were anxiousy await
ing the time when they could 60 out again into
the world and show that they could and would live
honorable and upright lives
1t the investigation of these conditions
that brought about the enactment of the indeter-
inmate sentence law and it's twin measure. which
provides for the parole of WORTHY prisoners Under
these laws, man when convicted may look for
ward to early release with hope born of sin
determination to live right and do right.
They were made to help the fellow who slipped
and slid into prison unthinkingly aud with no
generalization of wrong doing. They were also