The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-20
MICHIGAN TRIES
 OUT AUTOMATIC PAROLE REVIEW
Three-Man Board Takes Action Without Plea
 From Prisoner
BY HARRIS COATES United Press Staff COrrespOndent)

Limited Press Stan COrreSpOndent)
 Jackson, Mich, Oct. 2O.-(UP)- Inmates of the worlds second largest prison, the state prison of southern Michigan near here, re- ceived a Thew deal" with the es- tablishment of a, new three-mem- Der parole board, Warden Joel R. Moore believes.
 There are 4,226 inmates con- fined here in a penal institution second in population only to that at San Quentin, Cal, which has smaller plant.
 Our inmates had their own blacklist of attorneys who over- sold their ability to win releases for them under the former sys- tem," Moore said, but this is all thing of the past under our new correction law. No applications for parole can be made by either prisoners or by their attorney, but cases will be considered automat- ically upon expiration of their minimum sentence."
 Moore said the new three-mem- Der parole board, supplanting the former single commissioner who recommended to the governor, was the chief item of interest to pris- oners in the new law passed by the 1887 Michigan legislature. The board started operation the middle of August.
 Volume of Work Increased
 "No one commissioner could ever do justice to three state prisons. because he didn't have time to re- view cases carefully and study per- sonalities at the rate of 75 a day" Moore explained. With the new board, 1t will be possible to go into each mans case carefully and the first work indicated that these men can review @ total of about 100 cases a day.
 Under the old system of apply- ing for parole, prisoners sut1ered dire disappointment when they were turned down after being en- couraged by attorneys and net re- suit was Encouragement. But that will no longer be @ factor in prison management in Michigan
 Both Governor Frank Murphy and Hilmer Gellein, his correction di- rector, spoke of "uneasiness and the feeling of ~favoritism and priv ! ilege," which they said existed among prisoners under the old system.
 Moore said he considered post prison supervision an absolutely essential phase" which will be handled under the new five-mem- Der state corrections commission. Field Men Vital
 We are going to train men to work in every part of the state" he said. "Men released from prison must have human touch within three weeks. It's impossible to scare or preach folks into being good, and former inmates are no exception. From my experience in the Federal system. I know that skilful and sympathetic interest of field men is the best thing for pa- roled prisoners"
 Moore, state director of prisons. WAAO WOLhCu TUT ULlS PeQGTdI Uus reau of prisons for seven years or- ganizing prohibition and parole systems in each of the 48 states, said field men will determine the following before prisoners are re- leased:
 l. Is his home respectableP
 2. Has he a bona fide proffer of work?
 3. Is some person in the com- munity willing to be interested in helping work out the ex-convict's relationship with society upon his release?
 Defines Critical Period"
 If these questions are satisfac- torily answered, Moore explained, then the field men will provide the necessary human touch" during what he termed the critical pe-