During the year ended Nov. 30, 1910, 2,114 male offenders who had
served terms of imprisonment varying from eight days to twelve years,
in the prisons of Massachusetts, were aided in their efforts to regain
in society a place that would provide for their future support,
according to a report recently issued by George E. Cornwall, agent for
the Massachusetts Society for Aiding Discharged Convicts. One thousand
and thirty-one of these men from the Massachusetts reformatory and
457 from the Prison Camp and Hospital at Rutland, were assisted as
follows: Railroad fares to homes or places of employment, $1,996.67;
board while seeking work, $2,420.24; clothing, $1,284.01; tools,
$194.65; miscellaneous purposes, $32.75; total, $5,928.42. One hundred
and sixty-three men from the state prison, 129 of whom came out last
year, were aided as follows: Railroad fares, $352.34; board and family
stores, $1,021.20; clothing, $353.31; tools, $100.21; miscellaneous,
$33.50; total, $1,860.56. In addition to these who were aided from the
state appropriations, 463 others, released from the jails, houses of
correction, state farm, and in two cases United States prisoners, have
been helped from the funds of Society for Aiding Discharged Convicts,
at an expense to that society of $1,690.12.
Of the 129 men released from the state prison last year, 5 have
been returned for other offences. Four of the 5 are known to be
intemperate. The report contains the following suggestion:
“Fortunately, but a small percentage of the men released from state
prison or the Massachusetts Reformatory use liquor to an extent that
interferes with their ability to earn a living. There is, however, a
very large number constantly coming out of the jails and houses of
correction and from the state farm who by their habits of intemperance
are deprived of employment and are ever shifting from place to place.
If a permanent home could be established for these unfortunate human
derelicts, where they could not obtain liquor, and where they would
be obliged to live indefinitely, doing such work as might be provided
by intelligent overseers, I believe it would tend much to purify
our cities. The money that is expended for their repeated arrests
and conviction, under the present plan of dealing with them, would
be saved; and this, with what labor they might learn to do, would
contribute towards their support. Furthermore, the existence of such a
resort might tend to keep away some of the undesirable population who
now gather in the cities in constantly increasing numbers.”