The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-11-16
PAROLE BOARD IS
PREPARING STATEMENT
619 PRISONERS PARoLED
IN EIGHTEEN MONTHS.
Many Now Occupying Posi-
tions of Trust in Busi-
ness World.

The Tennessee board OF prison
control, through the chairmen OF the
board OF parole. Lewis S. Pope. is
E preparing its biennial report, con-
e tanning chapter on Parole OF Pris,
oners." From this chapter, which VIII
soon be issued at will be seen that
during the eighteen months covered
by the report, 619 prisoners nave
been released on parole.
1t is gratifying to know that very
large percentage of these are making
good citizens and are demonstrating
each day the wisdom of the law.
Numbers of men who are now on
parole are occupying high and re-
sponsible positions of trust and are
not only proving satisfactory to their
EMPLOYERS, but are regaining the con-
fidence of the people and consistently
assuming their former position in
society.
d Under the system adopted by the
board, all prisoners receive the same
fair and impartial hearing and con-
sideration Under the system now
in use, the day that prisoner be-
comes eligible to parole, his name
together with certain other informa--
tion, is placed on the parole docket
and the cases are numbered con.
secutively and heard and determined
in their order as reached on tne
docket.
Each case is worked up by the
state parole officer by taking state
ment from the prisoner, procuring
letters from the trial judge, attorney
general, sheriff of the county, clerk
of the court which sentenced the
prisoner and prominent citizens IN
+ the community who are acquainted
with the facts of the crime and with
the history of the defendant before
he committed the crime for which ne
was sentenced A written report or
the conduct of the prisoner since ne
was received at the prison is pro-
cured from the record clerk, ana IN
a very large percentage of the cases
the prisoner himself is brought be-
fore the board for personal inter-
view. 1t is therefore seen that thc
influences that largely control the
board in its deliberation and deter
mination of parole case Is the MS
tory of the prisoner before ne caIne
to prison, the character OF the CRIME
committed and his conduct since
commitment.
When a prisoner is ordered pa
rolled. a contract suitable to the ca
nacity and experience of the prisoner
is procured and he Is released to re-
port Immediately to his employer. !
twelve consecutive monthly reports
are required to be made, signed by |
both the prisoner and his employer,
after which a letter is addressed to
the prisoner informing him that he
is at liberty to choose his own en-
ployment and place to live anywhere
In the state, but he must continue TO
make his monthly reports until such
time as he receives his final dis
charge from the governor.
Total number of paroles granted by
hoard from Dec. 10. 1915, to July 1,
1918, $40, of whom 211 are white and
359 are colored.
Total number of paroles granted
hf governor Dec. 10, 1916. to July ],
1915, 40, of whom 10 are white and
80 are colored.
Total number granted by both au-
+horities, 619, of whom 221 are white
and 39S are colored. -.
Number of paroles violated. SS, OF
whom "a are white and 81 are COL
" Number recaptured, 90. of whom 8
are white and 15 are colored.