Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1937-11-18


state has adopted in handling in
mates. Montana adopted the parole
method over twenty years ago. II
has worked out and is working out.
Since 1917 the state parole board
has paroled $3.50 prisoners. There
have been returned to serve out
their sentences for violations, only
2O5 men and women. or 3.S per cent.
That is a fine record in retaining
humanity; and particularly in econ
omy of operations. If all these in
mates had remained, the cost of OPP
GRAFTON this institution would be
much greater. In the last five years
there have been only 16 men return
ed. In the last two years, only four
have been returned.
"When a mar Is sentenced to pris-
on, he has. as a matter of right. a
certain percentage of time off for
good behavior. A prisoner is allowed
n month off his sentence for each
year of his sentence over that. He
is allowed six months OF flor each
year of his sentence over that. He
gets 10 days a month off for work
ing. A 15-year sentence VIII be cut
to six years and four months if a
prisoner works and behaves him
self. But he can lose his good time
by violating prison rules. That is a
mighty strong disciplinary force ov-
er the men.
81 am heartily in favor. of sus-
pended sentences for first offenders.
Our records show they work for
good Of humanity. Todate there have
been 1,606 suspended sentences pro-
nounced upon offenders. OF this
number only 80 have been SEN here
to serve out their terms
Mr.. Taxpayer, duly impressed with
the orderly business like procedure
of the big institution, then asked to
visit it. Warden Bergstrom respond
ed. A trusty sitting in the big outside
office took the party across the
street and unlocked the outside gate,
locking them in the barren little re-
ceiving chamber. From above, the
armed guard dropped the big prison
inside gate key down a chute. Ward
en- Bergstrom unlocked the gate and
the guard drew the key back UP to
safety. Inside the walls a wide ex-
panse of green walls, two huge brick
.cell-houses and an administration
building between. all neatly white
washed and Immediately clean, ap-
peared before Mr.. Taxpayers eyes.
He walked with the genial warden
over a strip of concrete to the in
side prison office. Here Mr.. Taxpay-
er was introduced to Deputy Warden
Joe Neville, the executive head of
the institution inside the walls.
In a wide corridored reception
room Mr.. Taxpayer paused The air
was fresh, clean, untainted. At n
inquiry as to the music that blared
the prisoners. Mr.. Taxpayer watch
ed them fingerprint a new man. 1--WE
take 10 prints and send them to the
principal Montana cities and to crime
detection centers of the states and
the U. S. Bertillion Identification
bureau at Washington, D. c." De-
putty Neville explained.
At n side is a photo room, where
prison photos are taken. Next TO
the receiving room was a wire
screened compartment. This is the
visiting room,' Deputy Neville ex-
planned. THE visitors sit out here
and the prisoners inside. A guard is
always present at conversations be-
tween a prisoner and a visitor"
Next door was a barber shop. Pris-
guards and officers were patron
izing the clean, t~wo-chaired, fully
equipped institution. Two inmates
ork diligently and s%killfully on
their customers. "Give Mr.. Taxpav-
er a shave before he leaves" Ward
Bergstrom suggested.
Accompanied by the warden, Mr..
Taxpayer left on a tour of the pris-
First they visited the big heat
ing plant, just outside the walls.
with which is arranged for emery
ency purposes, a fully equipped gen
Grating plant. This entire structure.
with huge boilers, concrete founda-
etc., all was constructed by
inmates, the warden explained
Machine shop, blacksmith shop, ell