Show Lifer Now Behind Prison Bars Tells of Needs of the Ex Convict Ex-Convict Convict I I Tho The views view of a Ii life prisoner In the tho Utah state penitentiary ma may mayy form Corm tho the basis of or a society h to be formed In this state slate in the near near future for the purpose pur pur- pose of or helping m men n who wha have ha server served time In prison to 0 make their wa way In Inthe Inthe inthe the world after r being liberated rated J. J McPherson Shockley lc a life lire prIsoner prisoner pris prIs- oner Is the man whose views on prison life lICe ma may mayy be embodied In the plans of or orthe the organization In the November Is Issue Issue issue is- is sue of the Prison Evangel a religions lons monthly periodical printed at Colum- Colum Gus Lus 0 O. anti and sent Into prisons on all nil over the world the sug novas made that men on on the Inside give ghe their views as to how best beRt to aid convicts after the they have left the prison walls behind them Shockley who was given Riven iven a life lire sentence nce for killing killing- two street car ear men three years curs ago o when th they refused to stand and anel deliver er always has been considered l one of the be best t thinkers In Inthe Inthe inthe the state stat prison and his Practical Aid Ald for fot Prisoners shows that ho Is using his brain Shockley declares that societies should be he Corm formed ll Cpr the purpose of aiding men after the they tal take e off the stripes and again gain put on civilians' civilians clothes lIe He tal takes es the position that the convict ex-convict should be shown how to help himself These societies are being formed slowly all through the tho country countr and Warden Varden Arthur Pratt of the state prison has Interested several Utah people people peo peo- pie In the plan Shockley's article Is Isas Isas as ns follows In the November ember Issue slue of or your our paper The Prison Evangel you OU asked tl for c expressions of or opinion as to the tho most practical Va way to to aid prisoners That sounds good ns IS this is truly a practical a ago age o and until a way has been opened b by which the public mn may learn something of oC the views and Ideas of lIr those In prison the progress of oC bettering bettering better better- in ing conditions all aU around will be slow The opinion as here expressed is not formed through h hearsay a or casual observation atlon but hut is due to actual C experience experience ex ex- as an in inmate mote of or a penal in institution institution in- in where the tho writer has come como In dally daily contact with all classes of oC prisoners prisoners pris pris- and through continued effort In the wa way of or close observation an and 1 private conversations con from time timeto to to time lime feels enabled to speak a word as to the inner workings s of or the tho minds of oC those thoe behind prison walls concerning concernIng concern concern- Ing the thc question submitted by hy the Prison Evan Evangel I The indeterminate sentence law wherever It is In force Cor is proving a success and statistics show that the 1 same amo ma may be he said o of thA lh parole Rs R's tem Hui BUl above e all aU things considered d. d the one cite small clause the assistance I of oC outgoing prisoners prisoners' is by by far tal tho the most Important as a 0 pr prevention of crime which at nt the present time seems to be a perennial Question It will not down I When hen a man leaves lea prison he ho goes oes i lout out considerably handicapped to sa say sayI I the least though his Intentions may mayho mayho ho hI the Vel very best Even though the prison administration do all th they po possibly possibly pos pos- I sibly can In to the tho wa way of l fitting him out with a suit sull ot or clothes and often c- c In In specially needy need ca tangs f-A f mako an ap appeal appeal ap- ap I peal to the tho stat state board ot or control Cornn for Cor foran foran an nn Increase of oC gate money I mone money I I speak of ot cour course e In regard to the management of or this institution institution still still t the e law places certain limitations ns that tho they cant can't go KO beyond and the fact tact re remains remains remains re- re mains that the outgoing prisoner Is Isby Isby b by no means a at as well prepared to start his Ills struggle for or existence as h he would be were n- n little different arrangements arrangements arrangements arrange arrange- ments made As s a rule he has no friends and It would be mere mer folly Colly to spend his few dollars on railroad fare to get out of or I tho the country countr for Cor In his half bewildered condition due to the sudden chan change c ho hoIs hoIs hois is about as well off one place pIneo as ns another another an an other It seems that only those who have hav met with such an experience can realize that peculiar feeling ot or uncertainty uncertainty I of or himself I I might sa say halt half fear Cear of or everything c In general possess general ncr l possess possessed ed h by a majority of those discharged from Crom prison Of conr course e all are nrc not noL subject subject subject sub sub- to this to the same sarno extent exten but with most men it takes several se days das at least to regain In any measure their equilibrium as ns It wore and It IU Is during durIng during dur dur- ing these first few CeW days das that hes he's lilt likely 1 to get et started wron wrong again Itma It Jt may ma be due tine to asso associates lates picked up i In hl Ills his natural longing for companIonship companionship companionship compan compan- to whom he mn may po possibly make known hl his situation and b by whom lies ho more than I likely 11 advised of the futility of or nn any attempt to be upright or It Jt mn may come coo from rom other causes however It is li generally during this time that his good resolutions are In most danger of oC being heing ca cast t to the wind Again gain suppose ho he Is so exceptionally fortunate ns as to secure employment employment employment em em- immediately It is reasonable reasonable reason reason- able to suppose that he hc dont don't relish tho tiro Id idea on of going to a pro prospective employer and anel saying Im Just out o of prison I want to bo on the square now and I want work work ork 1 say he lie is not nota a very apt to do that for 01 few rew in indeed indeed in- in deed are arc the men Who vho are aro are capable of laying such uch a 0 cn case e before one in need of oC o with good results So wo WI suppose if he secures work worl It Is without his employer el knowing of or the late prison experience but just as ns' ns soon as ns he ht finds It out out-ancl out and the ways was in which he may mn- arc aro almost innumerable farewell erable-farewell erable farewell to the Job This ma may maybe maybe be he repeated several times times our nian man Is Is is' determined but determined determined but but at jn last t I dl discouraged he gives up the tight feeling tint that it is no use to tr try to tomake tomake make malte an honest living living and and what will h he do next you yon say UNison it ou out outI n as to what course hell he'll pursue pur pur- sue I sow Now o some ana may think the picture a little overdrawn o Ask the thousands i i coming out of prisons lall annually It If it 1 I Is Is Theres There's one thing the public should j remember and that Is this It lL Is hI not conviction and Imprisonment or 01 th the treatment in prison that maL male makes es men bitter hitter enemies t toward to society but it itIs itis Is IN the tha lh treatment afforded them on the outside after th the debt to society lu hus s I been paM pail The Th question then Is Can anything a be bo done dono to help matters Wo nn- nn saver awer by hy nuking asking a question or two 1 Could prison societies he o rm in fn n men Inch Alite such tuch n as now exist fn rn 1 a n few o of tho the At Eastern rn states stales for Cor the vcr very purpose of oC helping these po poor r mortals to help themselves Dot Does Doca it It not lot seem reasonable to suppose th there r rare are man many philanthropically inclined persons who would gladly Inelly donate to such fluch a n. society was there thero only a Cc few to start the tine movement mo If Ir wo we compare com com- compare pare the tho probable cost with the en enormous enormous enor enor- i expense of criminal prosecutions prosecutions lons will not that show such a plan worth while from a financial standpoint standpoint standpoint stand stand- point The writer of or course coure knows not how other wardens stand on this question but as for tor our little colon colony we wo all nil know the warden here would approve of oC something prat 1 practical lIC I along the these e lines lIne and we wo sincerely sincerely sin sin- hope that those other states would feel teel tho the same regard to this matter Some assistance must como come from rom the outside so let others sp speak alc out out If or course th there are o A m m rn n tn n tr tin In tn y 1 prison who do not need and would not accept aid alII on leavin leaving their place of confinement but even en these should be willing to do all nil In their power Dower to h help lp along a work which Is bound Jo Fo o prove pro beneficial to humanity The Tho good that h his has s been heen accomplished accomplished through h the promotion of oC re religious religious ro- ro work in prison is certainly ly beyond question but Is It not a fact tact that tho the gospel as often orten preached in In our prisons is rather inclined to lend lead many to bell believe belle e that it is a something entirely In n the tho abstract Have we not sufficient proof that t tine the religion preached by the Master was I practical as applied to our pre present present nt existence In that Ho lib said All 11 things whatsoever er ye 0 would that men should sho do to yoU do do ye 0 even en so to them and does it not behoove those who nho proCess profess profess pro pro- fess Cess to be Ills His d disciples to take some somo thought ht of that teaching as relating even en to those who ha have 0 strayed from the paths of ot rectitude thousands of oC the detained will look forward to the next session of the American Prison a association with feelings alternating between hope and despair If society wl wishes hes to protect lt Itself elf against l' the called so-called criminal class clas and ond If followers follower of the Low Lowly Nazarene would save SIl souls I say forever for for- forever ever er do away awa with that brand of religion re religion re- re ligion lon savoring so much of ot Depart In Jn peace be ye e warmed and anel fed Practical Christianity i is what counts |