Evening journal., 1921-02-02
WARDEN URGES
PAROLE Plan
Says Imprisonment ShOul |
Be Curative as Well as
Punish
SHOULD HOLD OUT
HOPE TO INMATES
star corresnondent.

NJ III before "A Joint session OF tht 1eu- |
ate and House yesterday. lie SAID ne
believed in punishment of criminals
but at the same time Imprisonment
should be curative. and The prisoner
should have some hope to encourage
him Mr.. pmmmer said.
Il deem 10 a great privilege TO ap-
pear before your honorable body. To-
geiher with the delegation accom-
panying me here composed OF gentle
men representing that which Is good
in this State, TO present to you a pro-
posed parole bill.
We are our brothers keeper, and
my purpose in appearing before this
honorable body Is 10 discuss with
YOU the problem OF our brothers and
10 instin and TO stimulate In yOer
hearts the obligation you and | owe
them. ] believe there Is always nope
for the driftwoOd Of humanity. ] be
liDNe we owe them a real chance IN
the struggle 30 regain the lost status
of q man. Mans inhumanity 10 man
has ever manifested itsef IN the
treatment and punishment Of our un-
fortunate brothers. have absolute
confidence and faith in mOlding hui
man beings. no matter what their
. sins OF omission and ocmm .ssiOn
AaNc been, into good citizens.
society does not need 10 strength
en- itself against happy human beings.
Let society strengthen and beirlend
our unfortunate brothers when they
manifest a disposition TO reform and
lead an industrious life. Let society
take him by the hand as ne leaves
prison. oftentime friendless as the
prison gates close after him. DO not
let him drift aimloSsly away on the
day Of his release. Let him be di-
Nertcd from the ways Of crime TO a
lie of industry. Let him realize the
hopeful sign Of the possibility OF ac-
complisning something being paroled,
subject 10 good behavior both In and
out Of prison. Let him feel the hu-
. man responsiveness OF better things 10
some. Gentlemen. a man committed
10 prison Is not wholly different from
the rest Of us-haNe you ever thought
of This? 10 is only by the grace OF
God We are not there Will him. IL is
an easy matter for those OF ms TO
whom God has given every advantage
In life io be unmndful Of the sOr-
-ows, trials. tribulatlons and tempta-
tiOns Of those who never mad proper
environment in life.
Now. gentlemen, the question
naturally arises in your mind, how
are we TO circumscrsbe vice, crime
and delinqueu,y and to cure those al
ready suffering from such vices now
Il speak FOR those now in jail. A
prison must be curative and make
men better-it has no right 10 exist
unless 10 does. DO you send men TO
a hospital 20 be MANNED and crippled
and 10 be turned out o greater bur
den TO the community than when they
entered? Because a man commits q
crime he should not be made use
less iability-he should be made a
nnIInNn
and adequate. punishment for crime
but under the old system the prisoner
is so Handicapped both in prison and
when he leaves that he cannot rehab-
ilitate himself Establish the Colder
Rule In prisons and the prisoners vii
do their own reforming. society I'M
der the old system through a mis-
guided and shOrisghted nenOlOgy
creates an unnecessary enmity which
reacts on society In The form OF re-
commission OF crime. Give the pris
oner hope, gentlemen. and pass sOml
probation law IN an EFFORT 10 remedy
their shortcomings. u IS gross mis-.
conception 10 believe that an men ir
prison are dishonest. There is a YER
table gold mine of possibility inside
Of prison walls. ] have often fOunC
virtue in the shadow Of crime. ! know
how difficult ID is 20 convince thCs'
outside the walls and get them 10 SCI
any possible good in the reformation
Of criminals-but ] tell YOU, gentle
men. that beneath the stain and dros
OF crime and sin YOU Will always ilnl
some grain OF gold worth redeeming
Cast aside prejudice and stretch on
a friendly hand of goodwill 10 ihos
who come forth from the testing fur
mace. Give them a second chance II
the nature Of a parole law.
81 beg Of you not 10 let the Grim
..f. III
20 prejudice you against this propos
cd bill. 10 Is the logical aftermath o
the war. Economicf distress. poverty
insufficient food clothing and fuel
the l0Osing OF mems animal passions
coupled with the general dis0rganiza
lion Of our social structure, are IN
inevitable result. While its manifes
tations vary, subject 10 local cond
lions. the disease knows no geOgraph
ical boundaries.
"Give US a parole law, and with On
help I have received IN the past an
which ! will receive In the futur
from these good men representing a
crceds NJ religion 7 have no fear Z
tho result-the influence Of good wi
manifest lis usefulness in every con
munity where the naroled prison,
will go. They will retrieve The sinfl
past and return IN decent ctizenshil
impetus the sufficient incentive,
adjust themselves in the right wa
FOR future freedom.
1T Is a matter or history and ST.
iisiics that IN proportion as canit
punishment. torture and cruel pena
tics are abolished. crimes decreas
Guillotlnes iails and prison coloni
have produced more law-hreakc
than they have ever healed. No so
cXccp THE soul unafraid could ev
he genuinely good. II is fear th
makes criminals. Fear Is not the Gu
for crime.
True probation does not condo
the offence. 10 takes into account n
only the circumstances Of the crir
hu the circumstances and iempiatio
of the criminal. u gives him the O
pOriunity 90 earn the remission Of {
penalty by future good conduct
gives constructive treatment OF thc Z
fender against society. 10 has for
purpose the increasing OF the pcrce
iage Of human salvage and nursil
them back 10 moral health.
supervised liberty is the trust
OF the mercy Of the court. 10 Is n
sentimental or charitable. but an
Tempt 10 aid a prisoner, not by 60
49, doing or cOncealing the wrong he h
done, but by assisting him TO redee
himself. II Is a vehicle OF restitutiC
u is the custodian Of mercy Men
parole support their families a
themselves and they are prOductl
factors in a community. In Jail IN
arc liabilities and very often tn
families become a burden upon I