umstances
to release him before the expiration of his time. In most states this
has called for the creating of a board of pardons and parole. The
statutes fixing penalties for certain offenses provide for a reduction
of a certain number of weeks or months each year, but as a rule courts
take this provision into consideration and figure out the net time they
wish to give the defendant so that there is no clemency except through
pardon or parole.

In most states the duties of the board are very grave and its business
large. With this has generally gone a law providing for the release of
prisoners on parole before their sentences are finished. In these cases
the prisoner is paroled to someone who promises the board to employ him,
and a monthly report is to be made of his conduct for a stated length of
time. He is then given conditional freedom, subject to the revocation of
the parole by the board on the violation of its terms.

The administration of this power has made the parole board one of the
most important, if not the most important, of any branch of the state
government. The lives and well-being of thousands of prisoners are
absolutely dependent on this board. Even more important are the
happiness and well-being of the families of the inmates of the prison.
The power and responsibilities of this board are so great that only men
of the best judgment and of humane and just tendencies should be trusted
with the task. It also calls for great courage such as few men on
boards possess. The public generally clamors for vengeance and unfairly
and unjustly criticises the board, especially when a released man
violates his parole or commits another crime. This frequently happens.
Perhaps on an average ten per cent of those paroled are sent back to
prison before their term expires. All this makes it hard for the board
to perform its duties, and makes the members of the board timid and
doubtful of the result, often causing them to deny paroles in many cases
where they should be given.

A great deal of criticism has been made of the parole system. Public
officials and that part of the crowd that is clamorous for vengeance are
always ready to assail its activities unfairly and unduly. Most
professional criminals are against the parole board. Speaking of the
State of Illinois, I am sure that the parole law, instead of shortening
the time of imprisonment, has lengthened the terms. All lawyers in any
way competent to handle the def