Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-09

Ing men "nat they earn above the eX-
penses Of their maintenance. has been
much discussed by penologists. 1t is
| being partially realized in the prison
at Baltimore by contracting the labor
who pay for it at the rate of other
labor, the warden ascertaining what
constitutes fair days work. A part
Of this work he is compelled to do as
does not utilize all of his time, and the
balance may be employed in contract
work. the proceeds being divided with
the state Under this arrangement it
| is possible for a prisoner to save as
much as $500 in a year.
II With the idea of reforming instead
of Furnishing the convict comes an en-
| tirely new
Entirely New Mode. mode of
Of Discipline Prevails. rbe $ ei ,a he.
the black hole and other old methods
of punishment have been absolutely
abolished. In their place rewards for
good behavior are given. These re-
wards are. of many different kinds.
They include base ball and other rec
reation privileges. entertainments, de-
| batting societies, more liberty, an OPP
| portunity of parole. and perhaps the
shortening of the sentence. In addi-
ton to these rewards are educational
classes which fit the prisoner to be-
come self-supporting upon his release.
The great impetus toward prison re-
| form was given by the publication of
the report Of the commission appointed
by former President Roosevelt to in
vestigate the conditions of the penal
| Institutions of the District of Columbia.
This report. which was printed a
public document. Is held by sociologists
to have been at least half century in
| advance of it's time, and it has fur
nished the basis for reforms in the
prisons throughout the country 1t
condemns the use of the ordinary Jail
except for temporary detention; rec
ommends probation system for Of
tenders who can be safely handled
| without confinement; reformatory
Tor those who must be sentenced to
| confinement and are yet hopeful;
| workhouse for those who must be SEN
fenced to confinement who are not
proper subjects for reformatory treat
ment: confinement in the federal pris-
ohs for the worst offenders and a care
fully guarded parole law for prisoners
| III all institutions.
The parole provision was the great
toward step in reform. and the one
| which has brought greatest results
within the last five years. When the
bill was passed providing parole for
prisoners in the District of Columbia
It became an injustice to prisoners
from the states who were sent there
| for the same offense, but who were not
entitled to parole because the states
made no provision for it. The enact
ment of bill providing for parole of
| all aprisoners in federal prisons was a
great advance step. and the parole was
soon extended to state prisons, SO that
there are few large institutions in this
country in which prisoner may not
hope for release long before the ex
piration of his sentence. providing his
behavior is good.
Since the parole has become we'll es.
tablished, the indeterminate sentence
has come
Indeterminate Sentence into prom
Has Become Prominent. The n ind e :.
terminate sentence is one ranging from
a short confinement to a long one at
the discretion of the prison authorities.
1t is still opposed by some judges, be-
cause 1t limits their power, but it is be-
Iieved that it is the only means of OBJ
tanning absolute justice for the pris-
| oner. The case is told of two counter
| feiters confined in Leavenworth prison.
An old man of bad record deceived
great many people by raising the
value of a one-dollar bill to $40 by
cleverly pasting the figure 10 over the
l. He was convicted before lenient
| judge and sentenced to a year of i'm
prisonment in the federal prison at
Leavenworth. A young boy in the
| backwoods made clumsy attempt to
! reproduce silver dollar in tin foil and
some other metals. He was arrested
and more strenuous Judge gave him
| three years. This manifest injustice
| cO311d hast he rempdiAd he
terminate sentence. which leaves the
matter to the discretion of the board
| Of prison directors.
! An excellent example Of the possibilities
of the parole system was evidenced a few
years ago through the instrumentalty Of
James Kelly, the Chicago editor. A bank
er absconded and fled to Africa Kelly
followed him In the interest of his news
paper and, after finding hib. persuaded
him to return to Chicago and face trial.
his parole to Kelly a little later. He
started in business and is now leading an
honest and successful life.
| With the idea that the prison is merely
punishment in itself. came the need of a
close study Of the conditions in prisons in
different parts Of the country, and great
reforms are resulting from this study, The
attitude Of Thomas Osborn, now warden
Iof Sing Sing prison, who became a yolun-
tary prisoner for week in order that he
might know how the men were treated
created Widespread interest Since his an
pointment as warden he has already ac-
complished much good in the correction
OF many defects which were the result of
negligence rather than intent
| Last year two young women yoluntar
lily entered the women's prison in New
1