The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-26
NEW LAW MAKES
SENTENCES LONG
It Has Been Figured That Indeterm:n-
ate Punishment Act Makes
Time in Prison
Longer.
STATISTICS COMPILED
Work Has Been Done by Lake and
Results Arc Interesting
Some Other
Reports.
STATISTICS COMPILED

office of the deputy warden at Fort
Madison. Charles Sullivan, for term
of two years covering the last bfen-
NAL period, which shows that one
hundred and one men have been par.
oiled during that time and that tina
average time served by them has been
one-half of the maximum sentence
fixed by law. This interesting result
was achieved by Bruce Lake after sew
eral days of close work over the books
and they show that the time Of serv-
ice has increased as the determinate
sentence men have been disposed of.
The table which was drawn up IS
elaborate in detail It specifies by
name and number each man paroled
during the period covered by 1t, CIV
ing the maximum term Of sentence
imposed. the actual time he would
have served before being parnled.
and the straight term equivalent for
such actual time.
The average sentence for the one
hundred and one men paroled was ten
years, one month and thirteen days.
which is quail in solid time to be
served with good time" allowed. to
six years. three months and nineteen
days. The average actual time which
the one hundred and one men were
compelled to serve before being paroled
was three years and six days, almost
half Of the maximum sentence liked
by statute, and very much in excess
Of the average actual time served for
a period covered by the last seven
years under the determinate sentence
fixed by the trial judge. AS COM
parison, the average under that long
period Of determinate sentences was
one and one-halr years, and one-half
less than the men are compelled to
serve under the parole law.
This table, the results Of which are
derived by comparison, is by FAR the
most interesting compilation OF fg-
ures which has been made touching
upon the indeterminate sentence and
parole law.
Prison Farm Reports Good.
Reports coming in from the prison
farms show that fine results are DO
ing obtained at all of them. Both
men and overseers are working In
such unity the existence Of these al.
juncts to the prison would almost be
forgotten were it not for the supplies
which are regularly sent out to them.
The harvesting this year has been &C.
complished with less friction than IN
any other period, although the work
has been more abundant, and 1t is said
that the farm forces have become one
of the best drilled classes OF prison
men. AS a matter Of fact the square
deal" sentiment has taken such hold
of the men that it would be difficult
at this time to change the view point
of the majority Of them who are on
the trusted list, and 1t Is safe to say
that when the season ends and the
legislature is In session. 1t will find
the Fort Madison TRUSTEES standing
true to duty.
The statement made by one OF
them who has just come in from the
farm for a day, is to the effect that
thew don't have to be told. The neces'
s,ty for doing a thing is enough to
have it DONE II that is the feeling
on the part of all the farm men, the
success Of the present season is ex-
planned. And there is another little
hurr to spur them on. They don't
want the gangs working before the
ayes Of the public at Woodland and
Glenwood to reap all the benefit for