nile delinquents, without commitment to an institution, by release on good behavior, and under the authoritative, helpful oversight of an official known as a probation officer. Those placed on probation are usually required for a period varying from a few months to a year or two to report regularly to the probation officer, and to observe certain restrictions and regulations as to their actions and behavior. The probation officer, besides receiving reports from these probationers, tries to win their confidence and friendship, visits them. in their homes, makes inquiries from other sources concerning their conduct and manner of life, and aids them in practical ways to become rehabilitated as orderly, useful members of society. If any probationer fails to satisfy the conditions laid down by the court, he may be returned to court for commitment or other treatment. "In short, John Doe, convicted of grand larceny, and standing before the judge for sentence, may hear these words: Doe, you have been found guilty of grand larceny. The penalty that might be imposed upon you is so-and-so many years in State prison, or a sentence to Elmira Reformatory. The probation officer has made a careful investigation of the circumstances of your deed, and of your home surroundings, your employment, and has also with much care learned what your employers, your people, and others who know you well have to say about you. The reports that come to me are in the main very favorable. It appears that you committed this very serious crime when you were intoxicated, and in the company of a number of young fellows, two of whom have already served a term in the Elmira Reformatory. I believe that you were led astray by your associates, and that this trial, and the ignominy of this appearance in court as a criminal will teach you a sufficient lesson. Sentence is therefore suspended upon you during your good behavior. You are placed in charge of Mr. Kimball, the probation officer of the Prison Association, to whom you are to report weekly until he tells you that you need no longer do so. If you do not observe carefully the rules that Mr. Kimball lays down to you, he will return you to this court, and I shall impose sentence upon you. You have one more chance to make good. Profit by it. "What are the essentials of a good probation system? Briefly: 1. A wise judge, discriminating in his choice of probationers. 2. An adequate and experienced corps of probation officers, preferably chosen from civil service lists. 3. Systematic supervision and assistance of probationers. 5. Regular reports to the judges as to the conduct and other circumstances of probationers. 6. No overcrowding of probation officers, through the assignment of too many cases. 7. Rigorous prosecutions of delinquent probationers. 8. Cordial and considerate appreciation of the difficulties. attending a wise administration of the probation system by judges, by district attorney's office and by the public." Our two probation officers not only serve the courts, but also perform important prison visiting work. They are each day in the Tombs, and many indeed are the men who seek their advice. Recently a mother wrote to Mr. Kimball in part as follows: you... In fact the greatest share in redeeming my son belongs to Your kindly interest in him has engendered in my heart an everlasting gratitude, and in his a deep reverence for your fatherly advice and counsel.... F. is all I could wish for now. He works steadily and his leisure moments are well spent. He has good chances for advancement in his work. Oh, if all the erring boys could be given the chance that my boy has, how few would be the mothers' aching hearts, and how many worthy men there would be to take their place. among men and women to better the world, themselves and all about them. The good that you have done for my son and for me I know you are doing for thousands of other sons and mothers. Here is an encouraging letter from a former probationer: September 1, 1913. Dear Mr. Kimball: Received good news a few days ago to the effect that things have turned out successfully with the company and that opera tions will be started within the next week on our own factory. I am to return at once and my old position will be waiting for me. Have been working here at a local factory for the past month and managed to make enough to keep things going. Things are certainly bad all over this country with no sign of a let-up. Left mother at X... when I came away and you may be sure I'll be glad to see her again. Hope you got away on a vacation and got some rest. My stock will go up 100 per cent now that I am going back to X... I am well liked by the managing director and I feel sure of my ultimate success. My position there will be a reasonable one with every chance to make good. The success of the business itself is unquestioned and I am indeed fortunate to get into the company and grow with it. It will grow quickly and so will I. In every letter she writes, mother wishes to be remembered to you, so I had better tell you so now or I'll be in for a scolding · when I get back. I hope it gives you pleasure some time to think of the happiness you have brought her by your goodness to me. As concerns myself I think you know that I can never forget you and that to my dying day I shall ever do my best to prove my gratitude and appreciation. I shall never regret what has happened, for to come into contact with a man such as you has changed entirely my thoughts and opinions regarding many things. It has made me see that kindness and charity really exist, that there are those who do interest themselves in their more unfortunate brothers and extend to them a helping hand; because of my knowledge of you and your work it has made a better man of me. So long as I live I am going to try with my whole heart and soul to make a great success of my life and myself, to make for myself a position among the successful men of the world and a name that will be honored and respected, for by so doing I shall not only be making something of myself but I shall have the pleasure of saying to you, were it not for you, it would never have happened." I want you to feel that in my case you have made a success. I want to be instrumental in making you feel that in your work you have been successful and what is more, I shall do so. Yours gratefully and respectfully The Prison Association, in spite of the work which it is trying faithfully to perform, believes that the present probation system in the Court of General Sessions is not conducive to the best results, and in the present report we reiterate strongly our belief that the City should follow its own example in the inferior courts, and appoint a corps of probation officers for the Court of General Sessions, to be selected under the civil service rules, and to be under the direction of a chief probation officer. We print herewith again our statement contained on page 30 of the report for 1911 of this Association. In the Court of General Sessions there is a numerically inadequate corps of probation officers. They have far too many cases, and the cases are distributed unevenly from a numerical standpoint. There is no chief probation officer. The probation officers in the Court of General Sessions are salaried, not by the city, but by private societies, and while there may be cordiality and even friendship between probation officers, there is not the responsibility or the coordination of work necessary to make the working out of the probation system wholly successful. The Prison Association, having several probation officers in the Court of General Sessions, is nevertheless an advocate of the plan. of the State Probation Commission, providing for a corps of probation officers salaried by the city and a chief probation officer, the force to be adequate, to be experienced, and to be centralized as to method. In the opinion of the Prison Association, neither the judges nor the district attorney's office will receive the best results from a probation system until such corps of probation. officers is established. It is to be hoped that when such a corps is established, the experience and ability of the probation officers now working in the Court of General Sessions will be taken into consideration. 5 |