Reports Made to the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Illinois

DISCHARGED PRISONERS.

The convict just released from jail or the penitentiary, sustains a very peculiar and embarrassing relation to society. If he honestly desire to return to an honest course of living, and secure a reputation for respectability, he has very much to contend with, and many very serious obstacles to surmount. A very important work needs, therefore, to be done by some party or parties in assisting this class in the very difficult work that lies before them. These prisoners are to be befriended, so far as they deserve it, in their effort to return to a virtuous course. It was stated at the Congress that this work may be performed in more ways than one. In England the work has been done chiefly by discharged prisoners' aid societies. There are thirty-four such societies in England and Scotland; and during the year 1871 they extended help to at the least 5,500 persons. Most of these societies have, at least, a semi-official character, and draw, in part, their funds from the public treasury, the balance being raised by voluntary contribution. Under the Irish convict system it is done by regularly appointed government officials, under the efficient direction of Sir Walter Crofton; and it is needless to say that it has been attended with the most marked success. Men of energy, whose hearts are in the work, are selected to be the bearers of the needed aid, and they seldom fail of accomplishing the purpose of their mission.

The duty of the State being the protection of society, I desire to call the attention of your Excellency to the practical value and importance of some well organized system by which those persons who come out from the penitentiary may at once be enabled to secure employment, and saved from immediately re-entering a criminal course. Such work may be very efficiently done by voluntary organizations, but greater efficiency still will be given to them if they receive an official recognition and support by the State.

CONCLUSION.

Many of the prison systems of foreign countries are most admirably arranged, and are managed with very remarkable success. No little. outlay of time and study has been expended to perfect the plans. The work has been performed by men of noble powers, who were pushed on to their work by the largest philanthropy-by the promptings of most generous hearts. These systems, in many instances, embrace provision for the prevention of juvenile crime-the important work of affording protection to society by organized effort to save those whom society calls the criminal classes, from entering upon a course of actual crime. They also embrace excellent prison discipline; and further, these systems in

clude within their scope and functions admirable provisions for the final work of aiding the prisoner, when discharged, to return to society and live like an honest man. Very much credit is due to many foreign nations for the important work accomplished in these directions.

It must, however, be placed to the credit of the United States of America, that they have been first and foremost in appreciating, to its fullest extent, the value of universal education for all the people, as a means of preventing crime and so protecting society. The State has taken a wise course-a course which has won for it the admiration and applause of the civilized world-in extending the benefits of a liberal education to all. It has, by so doing, closed up, to a great extent, the avenues of poverty, and removed this mighty excuse for crime. It may be that some things more may be done to perfect the prison system, but most profoundly do all good men express the hope that no relaxation of effort will be allowed in the direction of thorough education for all the people of the State. No protection for society is so safe and secure as that which comes from within, from society itself. Let there be established in the breast of every member of society a sense of honor, a lofty moral purpose, which advanced intellectual culture will go far towards establishing, and the protection of society is guaranteed. It becomes at once self-protecting.

Concluding, I desire to say that to the United States is due the credit of originating this Prison Reform Congress. The active efforts put forth by this government, were the subject of many a most complimentary reinark by the distinguished foreign representatives from all countries.

I should do injustice if I did not go further and say that the most arduous labor was performed by, and the distinguished honors should be conferred upon the Rev. E. C. Wines, D.D., LL.D., of New York, to whom probably more than to any other man connected with the whole work, is due the credit of the success which attended the labors of the Congress. The consciousness of having done a good work, and the esteem which Dr. Wines won for himself from the members of the Congress from all parts of the globe, will be, in all future time, his most satisfactory reward for the vast expenditure of time and labor to bring about and carry through to a successful termination the International Prison Reform Congress of 1872.

It is devoutly to be hoped that the great spirit of christian philanthropy, not limited by geographical boundaries, nor confined in any nationality, nor treasured in any one language alone, may soon inspire every breast, and that its benign influence may be felt expanding and ennobling the loftiest moral purposes of every individual of the human Then will crime cease.

race.

Respectfully submitted,

NEHEMIAH PIERCE.