The Harrison times., 1915-07-31
SYSTEM WORKSWELL
State Probation Commission Is
Lauded by New York.
Experiment Has Proved In Every Way
Worthy, and Authorities Arc
Unanimous In Opinion That
II Be Maintained.

One Of the most active Of the small
departments Of the New York state
government is the state probation
commission. AS shown by a recent
report on the state departments pre-
pared for the benefit of the constitu-
tlonal convention by the department
OF efficiency and economy and the
New York bureau of municipal re-
search this commission is entirely sep
arate in its organization and duties
from any other state department. 1t
has large and unique field, namely,
that of developing, extending and i'm
proving probation work in all the
courts Of the state.
Probation is defined as system by
which court seeks to supervise dis
Cipline and reform offenders without
branding them as prisoners and with
out sentencing them to jail or prison,
1t is intended especially for the young
or first offenders. 1t Is used In all
kinds Of courts and for all sorts of
offenses, but 1t is perhaps Of greater
importance in the juvenile court, Pro-
baton has been called the right arm
Of the juvenile court"
The first probation law in the state
was enacted in 1901. Following the
enactment of this law probation work
in the courts developed slowly and
irregularly throughout the state. A
special commission to study the work
was authorized by the legislature Of
1905; ten men and four women were
appointed on this commission by Gov
ernor Higgins. The commission made
thorough inquiry and presented
report the following year, Out Of its
work and recommendation grew the
present state probation commission.
The commission was created by the
legislature in 1907 Homer Folks has
been president Of the commission since
its creation. Frank E. Wade, another
Of the original commissioners, is now
vice-president. The other members
are Edward G. Blum Of Brooklyn,
Edmund j. Butler Of New York, Judge
Alphonso r. Clearwater Of Kingston
and DR.. John T. Finley, commission
er Of education, The present secretary
OF the commission Is Charles l., Chute,
who succeeded Arthur w. Towne In
1918.
Some OF the work The commission
has accomplished toward extending
and developing the probation system
in the state is indicated by the follow
ing facts: When the commission
began It's work In 1907 there wole
were 1920 persons Of all ages on pro
baton. AT the end Of i3l4 there were
1925, Besides assisting In this
great extension, the commission has
constantly urged discrimination in the
selection of cases and the all Impor'
tance Of careful and thorough work on
the part Of probation officers,
The report Of the commission OK.
tending over seven years show that
more than 70 per cent Of all persons
placed on probation are reported by
the probation officers each year as
completing their terms Of probation
successfully and being discharged with
improvement,
The cost OF tho state prisons, penl.
tentiarles, adult and Juvenile reiorma.
tories. for maintenance alone In 1913
was S2,202,3i9, This takes no Ne'
count Of the vast sums expended In
lands, buildings and equipment and the
sums spent annually for repairs aud
new construction, The average daily
population Of the institutions
throughout the year was llAli, maxi
Ing the per capita cost for years
confinement S900S3, The entire es'
timated cost Of the probation system
for the year 1912 was S253,675 This