The Washington times., 1921-06-15


MaSHipInfis, happenings the
Prisoners Re-
| lief Society of Washington, ID. c.,
was brought into being by e. K.
budding, who had once been a pris-
oner himself. Recently ! heard his
history and that of the organiza-
tion from it's secretary. Mrs. s. II.
McIntire. now in New York city.
Mrs. McIntire, who is well informed
on the various aspects of criminol-
ogy. discussed some of them with
me.
by circumstances" declared Mrs. Nc
Intire.
Sometimes these circumstances
occur early in the victims life. The
result OF poor home surroundings.
Then we call II bad environment.
But it's really circumstances. Under
the stress OF excitement men and
women commit crime-for the first
time. Maybe a prison sentence fol-
| lows.
RELEASE Is TURNING POINT.
Then after release or parole comes
the delicate question of handling the
ex-convict That will be the whole
turning point of his career.
We claim that society is at fault
| for the second offender.
THE general public must be edu-
| Gated to accept the view that the ex-
| convict can be made its worthy asset
instead OF a creature to be Stunned
and feared That attitude is greatly
to blame for the second offenders
| Heretofore II has been once a Grim
inal always a criminal All wrong.
All that is needed is a helping hand.
"Give ex-convicts a second chance
and 90 per cent will make good.
''The Prisoners Relief Society was
started by a man who was given a
second chance by his employers. But
he felt after awhile that his presence
perhaps was embarrassing to them SO
he resigned of his own free we'll
This is Z. E budding, head of our
| organization. To defend himself in q
quarrel he killed his uncle. He had
| to go to prison for a short time and.
J though brief, the term made him an
ex-convict in the eyes of the world.
He devoted himself to the convict,
and now he is very successful in help
ing other men to come back
The ex-convict is not afraid to
tell his troubles to Mr.. budding be-
cause he knows he Is understood
was once behind bars himself.
The paroled prisoner IL better Of
than the released man. because to Sc
! cure parole a man must have a job
awaiting him when freed
LOOKS AFTER MAN.
I'VE get the released man . 1irst
friend in whatever city he wishes, to
go to. That means tho friend will
get him a job, and only the employer
is to know the secret of the prison
term.
"This means, . lot to the convict
released with only a cheap suit of
clothes and IS in his pocket
| such a man must be rescued or he
will return to jail as a second Offend
er, a hardened criminal.
"Our society. which aims to do Just
this work of rescue, was founded
about seven years ago. Now many
important men and women are back
of 1t. They cooperate in getting jobs
for those brought by circumstances
into crime. We have helped over &c.
600, men and women both. since our
beginning.
Men eligible for parole. or about
to be released. can write to us and we
send them blanks to fll out; we also
send a blank to the warden of the
| prison. II the convict is a farmer.
plum Der, doctor. lawyer-no matter
what-we get him work In his own
line.
picture the plight of the man out
Of prison after a termi He feels the
world is against him and he is not far
from right in his Judgment He finds
II hard to deal with people.
GIVEN MANY REBUFrs.
THAT was the identical experience
t, OF our head. Mr.. budding. Though
his firm. in Chicago, was very willing
to take him back, others were not SO
kind He was made to feel his dis
grace by customers and associates, SO
he has consecrated his life to helping
other men.
'Tn Washington alone we have
| placed 600 ex-copvicts. One man, for
merly a safe cracker, is now the trust
! ed and respected cashier OF big
corporation. He has gone straight,
and so can anyone who wants to and
who gets a little help.
The helping hand is the one thing
that will prevent the first offender
from going back to prison. That will
protect not only the ex-convict. but
the public that scorns him, too.
"The Prisoners Relief Society looks
after the family of the imprisoned
man while he is in Jail, thereby sus-
tanning their course and preventing
them from getting unfortunate ideas
i about the injustice of things and per-
Crinoa thepaaIyea