It is only in recent years that the idea of making a good man out of a
bad one has had any prominence in the penal system. The old idea was
simply to punish the criminal and lock him away from honest people
so he could do them no more harm. The actual result seemed to have
proved that it made him more proficient in the school of crime. In many
States this evil still exists. In New York State for example, seventy
per cent. of the released convicts return to criminal lives. Several
other States have tried the plan of releasing well-behaved convicts,
with comparatively clean records, finding work for them, and keeping
them under surveillance until assured of their reform. Here are the
results:
Offenders Redeemed. Returned to Crime.
Pennsylvania 85 per cent. 15 per cent.
Ohio 90 “ 10 “
New Jersey 95 “ 5 “
Indiana 94 “ 6 “
Connecticut 100 “ None.
Utah 100 “ None.
Michigan 94 “ 6 per cent.
Alabama 96 “ 3 “
Virginia 100 “ None.
Minnesota 92 “ 8 per cent.
The convicts themselves are enthusiastic in praise of the new plan, for
many of them would prefer to lead honest lives if given a fair chance.
“The Star of Hope,” a paper written and printed by the convicts of
the N. Y. State Prisons, is full of articles in favor of the parole
system, which the convicts hope to see adopted throughout the State. At
present, it applies to the Elmira Reformatory only.
Indiana State Prison, at Michigan City, has had the parole system
in force three years; 132 prisoners have been paroled, 6 have been
returned for violation of their parole, 2 have failed to report, and
we do not know where they are. We consider this a good showing for the
management. We have now 80 men on parole, who make report promptly,
earning all the way from $5 to $40 per month and their board, in many
cases caring for their families, that would otherwise be a public
charge upon the township where they live had the prisoner been kept in
confinement.