From a total of eighty persons aided in 1904 to total of 517 aided in
1910 has been the growth of the work of the Colorado Prison
Association.[1] That more care is being exercised in the aid given is
indicated by the facts that during 1905-6 the average expenditure per
person was $24, during 1907-8 it was $18, and during 1909-10 it was
$12.
In the biennial report of the president of the association, Mr. E. R.
Harper, says:
“The working of convicts on the public roads has attracted the
attention of the world, and fully demonstrated that it is
feasible and highly beneficial to so handle the men. It would
have been difficult some few years ago to believe that
penitentiary convicts could be placed in camps, in the wild and
rugged sections of our state, in the mountains, the most ideal
situation for safe ‘get-aways,’ without a guard or gun in camp,
and yet not have wholesale escapes. But penitentiary prisoners,
upwards of 300 in number, have been so handled during the past
three or four years, under just such conditions, with the most
gratifying results—a long step, indeed, in the right direction.
And this condition was brought about partly through the work and
influence of this association.
“However, to make such progress in these matters as ought to be,
additional assistance is essential, mainly in the way of new laws.
The most needful just now are: A law giving the trial judge the
right to parole first offenders; an amendment to the present law
regarding the feeding of jail prisoners, doing away with the
possibility, if not the probability, of exorbitant and
unnecessary expenses to the counties; a law providing for working
jail prisoners on the highways, and for the work allowing them
some little compensation to go toward the support of dependent
ones. Measures to cover these essential matters have been
introduced in the present legislature, and we earnestly hope for
their enactment into law.
“Still in the future, but we trust not too far, Colorado should
take the next important step and allow each penitentiary prisoner
something for work done, so that it can either go toward
assisting those depending on him, or be accumulated to his
credit, in order that he may have at least a little with which to
get out into the world of action and usefulness again. When that
condition prevails, very much, if not all, of this association’s
work will be accomplished; and its charitable force can be
directed in some other channel of service.”
Though called in November, 1910, to take charge of the work of the
Associated Charities of Denver, Colo., W. E. Collett has continued to
act as general secretary of the prison association, serving in that
capacity without pay.