I yd. KANSAS UNIVERSITY QUARTERLY. 



This has a tendency to make him feel that he is still an outcast from 

 society and that there are greater walls than those of the prison sepa- 

 rating him from the trust and confidence of society. If he is employ- 

 ed by those who do not understand that he is from prison he carries 

 with him continually the consciousness of deception, and this in itself 

 has rather a bad tendency in developing a spirit which (if it does not 

 already exist) will tend to make him feel that he is an enemy to the 

 society which seems against him. It will be a strong character, even 

 though it be determined to do right at all times and even though the 

 prison reform has been salutary, if it resists the influence of such 

 conditions. True there are prisoners of entirely different character, 

 who consider all attempt at reform within the prison walls as so much 

 nonsense, or at least nothing more than opportunities for winning the 

 favor of their superiors while under sentence, and when they pass 

 from the prison walls they still feel, if they feel at all, that society is 

 against them and they are against society, and they are ready at the 

 slightest opportunity to engage in their old pursuits without even 

 attempting to enter a legitimate calling and live respectable and 

 honored citizens. 



To relieve all this there have been attempts to form prison associa- 

 tions which would receive the prisoner at his discharge, place him in 

 the hands of individuals who understand his life and character and 

 who would sympathize with him in the attempt to continue his well 

 begun reformation, and he, understanding them, would have confidence 

 not only in himself but in the people around him. In this way he 

 makes the connection which has been broken off between himself and 

 legitimate associations, and has a possibility of outliving the past. 

 Such an association in Kansas might accomplish a vast deal of good. 

 It ought to be formed by philanthropists and business men who would 

 take an especial interest in this work. Each prisoner when he has 

 finished his sentence should be assisted quietly and earnestly in 

 securing the proper place. It would save very many, who have left 

 the prison with good intentions, from returning to old practices. 



Perhaps the furlough system, as carried on by the Elmira reforma- 

 tory, is the most unique that has ever been tried for the purpose of 

 making the connection of the discharged prisoners with the industrial 

 and social life without. Prisoners are discharged on furlough of three 

 years, during which time they are placed under good influences and 

 have all the opportunities for continuing the reform outside of the 

 prison walls. These prisoners report monthly to the prison authori- 

 ties and of their own accord. If, at the end of three years, they have 

 made satisfactory progress and have occupied positions of trust with- 

 out betraying confidence, they are given their final discharge on the 



