Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-08

commentary education which they
were not obliged TO take There was
iliue or no effort 10 help them tn he
better men when they left the ;nsrjtz,-
non Society got no benefit from such
priscn work. IN fact. the men who
were let OUT often became worse than
iHtN had been previously and became
u greater menace.
nder the lndetermlnare sep,erca
Jaw, Mr. Fish explained. the men ee,
BLANKS on which they NAV annlv far
parole. They are interviewed by the
paro'e on1cer who gets their story
ana checks II up for its veracity. He
also DORIS up the record. family and
prospects Of success Of the man in
question and presents the result "a
me 1oaru Of prison commissioners
VINO N turn question the man and
give the parole II they think best
)" men = man IS paroied he IS given
Proper clothes ana a job is secured
iof nm ~ the parole officer who be-
comes his next friend. The man on
pafoie must report 10 the officer and
he UNDERSTANDS that ne must make
sood both 20 the officer and 10 his
employer. The parole PERIOD is fixed
at TWO years. Irrespective of the sen
tence and f a man makes good dur-
Ing This time, he may be discharged
without serving the remainder OF his
sentence.
ne parole officer IS also next
Trend 10 men not on parole ana acts
as intermediary between them and
their families and often cares for the
lanlliles 10 some extent. He instructs
F. incoming prisoners on obedience 10
rules and important matters OF like
nature. Mr.. Fish stated that since
ms has been done The number Of in
fractions OF prison rules has almost
vanished. since the men are made TO
understand that their chances of pa
role are lessened with every breach
Of ne rules.
He told OF SPECIFIC cases OF men IA =
Toied from Thomaston who have made
-ood and declared that the inde1er-
inmate sentence Jaw has fully justified
al the promises that we're made by
It's proponents. II teaches that the
way Of the ira nsgressor IS hard but
that it IS not hopeless! ana makes a
man n prison realize the way that
socletv looks al his nisdemea nors.
When 4 man is paroled he knows that
he VIII 20 back if he doesn't make
good.
Mr. Fish stated that II SO men pa
rolled only ten had violated their pa
cole Two mad done so because Of
slight insanity ana the other eight
had done so for reasons known only
n " M n
that the purpose of the parole law
IS 70 prevent recurrence Of offenses
and 10 furnish criminals with money.
friends and honest employment, three
things which they most need.
In the discussion which followed
Mr. FIsh's paper Il was brought out
that one great problem OF reforraa-
tory work IN this state IS the proper
assignment II convicted persons.
Mrs. Life n. Lawrence OF the hoard
Of trustees Of The women's reforr1a :
tory At Skowhegan wished there
might be u selection OF persons sent
TO that Institution So that the feeble
minded and physically unit might De
eliminated. She said that the lnsIi-
tuition could not help those SO affiicr
ed Harold Z. Donnel. formerly Of
this state. said that he believed the
lalI mas no place IN the community,
that i cannot do IS good refornatory
work as the prison and other institu
tons He recommended that The
Judges and PRISON officers get together
and consider the proper distribution
Z Of convicted persons
( Judge Lauren NJ. Sanborn OF Port
land praised the parole officers work
and blessed the day when revenge
was eliminated from criminal pro-
cedure He expressed the idea that
much good work might be done by
narole officers for men VINO DO not get
4 into prison as well IS for those who
DO.
Mrs. Mary :. Durham Of Portian nj
voiced the need for women probation
officers and suggested that the lesIs-
Iature lake action upon the matter.
She also suggested thar money be
provided for me enlargement OF he
home for the feeble minded. !: hese.
in her opinion. are res ponsIble Tor
much Of the crime which IS taken care
of by the prisons and refornaIories
after II has been committed. II IS
better 10 prevent i than % punish IL
she said.