The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-20
JUDGE HOLDS
MERCY IS AID
IN CRIME WAR
Penal Population Can Be
Cut Greatly by LegisIa-
ture, Collins Tells Bar.
PROBATION PLAN WORKS
Many Are Saved to Useful
Citizenship by Suspended
Sentence System.
Bg Times speoiaI

BIZ Times Special
KOKOMO, Ind, Feb. 20.-In-
diana's penal population can be re-
duced materially by proper legisla-
ton, Judge James A. Collins of the
Marion county criminal court as
serted Tuesday night, addressing
members of the Howard County Bar
Association.
Collins outlined the work and re-
suits obtained by introduction OF
the restitution system in the Marion
criminal court.
MY experience of fifteen years on
the Marion criminal bench and my
contracts with the penal institu-
tons Of the state lead to the con-
cIusion that our penal population
could be reduced materially" he
said. with establishment of a pro-
baton system in every court, exer-
cising criminal jurisdiction, many
convicted persons could be saved
to useful citizenship and the state
relieved of the burden of their care
and maintenance.
Would Cut Penal Population
"Also, adequate provision in such
courts for the proper defense OF
poor persons would save many from
incarceration. In the final analysis
these two suggestions, if put in force
in this state, would reduce our pris-
on population by 25 per cent"
Collins asserted that Cooperation
in legislation is needed sadly" He
said the use of revolvers would be
reduced to a minimum if all states,
co-operated with congress in en-
acting legislation that would forbid
shipment of weapons in interstate
commerce.
However, It must be considered
that idleness, hunger and unemploy-
ment contribute to development OF
the penal population, for which
there never can be found remedy
in vicious and indicative legiSla-
tion," he stated.
eff the states, In cooperation
with the federal government, could
work out some plan ny which the
unemployed in our industrial centerS
could be provided with work, dur
ing the periods of depression, much
would be accomplished in curbing
crime"
Attacks Senate Bill
Referring to bills before the In
diana legislature, Collins attacked
senate bill IL, declaring it would
destroy the indeterminate sentence
law and give dual system of de-
terminate and indeterminate SEN
fences.
'"The very thing that is attempted
to he accomplished in compelling a
man to serve long determ1nate
sentence is destroyed, in the fact
that he has time off for good be-
havior, which would reduce his SEN
tence to practically the minimum
sentence and take from him the
helpful influences ard assistance
now given the paroled man, Gel
Inns stated.
eff the legislature enacts that
bill, it should go step further and
rs2eal the indeterminate sentence
law. Should such step be taken, we
then would go back to the old sys-
tenn of determinate sentences and
we would witness the spectacle OF
persons being committed to penal
institutions with varying degrees
of punishment"
Many Sentences Suspended
Collins said that during the last
thirteen years more than twelve
hundred persons have been placed
on suspended sentences in his court
and in less than one hundred cases
it has been necessary to commit the
defendants to penal institutions.
He showed that $60,100 has been
paid to the court in fines and costs
by persons in the last thirteen years
on the installment basis.
During this period, $3O,62s has
been paid to the court for the bene-
fit of persons injured by defendants.