The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1919-06-17
Urgently Needed Reforms
In Georgia's Penal System
From the Atlanta Journal.

The chief recommendations made in the
annual report of the state prison commission
are of character that should appeal keenly
to the legislatures sense of humanity and
justice alike, and lead to the prompt enact
ment of the measures asked. Particularly
important is the commissions plea for an
indeterminate sentence law under which
punishment can be administered more equit-
ably than now and also with more regard to
the merits of the individual case. In Georgia
convict camps there are two men, one of
whom is serving a sentence of five years
and the other a sentence of three years for
precisely the same kind of offense. The five
year prisoner fell into the transgresson I'M
der circumstances that were markedly ex>
tenuating, and since he entered the camp his
conduct has been most exemplary. The three
year prisoner had no eXcusing factors in
his case, and his subsequent record is an es
pecially bad one. This gross inequality,
wherein the better man goes fettered for
two years after the other is free, arises from
the fact that different courts have different
conceptions of what constitutes condign
punishment; indeed the same courts con-
ception may vary from time to time, accord
ing to the blandness or rigOr of it's psyche
logic atmosphere Now reverting to our ex-
ample, suppose that luckless prisoner No. 1,
instead of being given a fixed sentence OF
five years, had been given sentence which
determinate. His good conduct then would
have counted SO largely and so definitely in
his favor, along with the pallating circum-
stances of his offense, that he could have
been paroled as soon as the authorities felt
that the ends of justice had been substan-
TALLY served. Our common sense of what is
reasonable and right and humane tells us
that this ought actually to be the case. The
prison commission pleads to the same pur-
pose out of an abundance of first-hand OBJ
servaton which convinces its members that
in conscience and wisdom Georgia can no
longer conduct its penal affairs without the
discretion which the indeterminate sentence
would allow.
Equally commendable is the recommends
ton that facilities be provided for the treat
ment of persons addicted to drugs. These
unfOrtunateS, most of whom are anything
but criminal, are now sent to the state pris-
on farm on the technical charge of vagran-
cy. This is so obviously unjust and the social
need of combating the drug habit by effect
ual treatment is so plainly important that
we can scarcely imagine the legislature re-
fusing this appeal. Nor can it rightly re-
fuse the commissions plea for more ade-
quate facilities to train the youths commit
ed to the state reformatory. Truly, as the
commissioners urge, sit is not fair for the
state to take these young boys and keep
them during their habit-forming period
without at least starting them in some voca-
ton in which they can become self-sustain-
ing and useful citizens" Unless this is done
in liberal measure the reformatory cannot
render the saving and constructive service
for which it was established.
AS well-considered and urgent reforms
all these recommendations should enlist the
public's earnest support, for we dare not
rest content as a people and we shall not
truly prosper as state so long as those, our
brethren, on whom prison gates have shut
suffer injustice and are unvisited by our
redressing hearts.