"Just a few facts about why men return to Prisons."
This article is written to advise the Public of some of the existing conditions that men just released from Prison here to face daily in the uphill climb back to respectability and standing in the critical eyes, of an ever to ready [condemning] public.
First: The attitude of the new presiding Judges sitting in judgment on offending mankind is wrong. Because a man is always considered Guilty until he proves himself innocent, [regardless] of what may be said to the contrary, as the hearing of any trial in any court room in the entire State of N.Y. will prove to you.
I make this statement at the beginning of this article to show to you [where] the real blame belongs as to the present, post and future, cause of Crime [exists].
Now, as to why men return to prisons, after having served a term behind iron bars for varying periods of time, it is really more the fault of the Public at large than in the men themselves, because they are seldom understood and are not properly looked after in their release. The day they leave the prison walls, they are fitted out completely from head to foot with an outfit of clothes, mostly of State manufacture and naturally of a very inferior grade of goods. They are given a R.R. ticket back to N.Y. City or wherever they were sent from originally, and most important of all or practically so at least a $10.00 bill.
Now please tell me if you can how far a $10.00 bill will last you in New York City when you have not even a change of a collar or shirt to your name, not to mention a change of Socks or underwear. A man even an EX-CONVICT is a human being and has to eat and sleep someplace and be the charges ever so small these necessities alone eat up his $10.00 very quickly.
Do you know or realize what a man is up against who has been out of the City for perhaps a number of years? Everything is strange to him and the Human or [Gentlemanliness] inherent in the average man will predominate and push to the front in creating the desire to appear at least neat and clean on his making his first application for a job of some kind be it what it may. He naturally feels and wants to appear with a clean shaven face and remember that barbers must be paid to work on you, and if and of course you have not a razor, brush or soap of your own, there goes one or two nickels more out of your precious remaining funds. The job you have heard of in some way happens to be up in the Bronx. There is another nickel for car fare and perhaps after getting there you do not qualify because the Employer demands 3, 5, or 10 years references to your past record and should you tell him the absolute truth as to where you have been for the past few months or years, why naturally and quickly some excuse is given to you in a decidedly short answer and he immediately has important business elsewhere to get away from your presence as quickly as is possible. It may be because he is afraid of becoming contaminated with the criminal germ, leprosy or at least with something bad.
After a few of many [rebuffs] a man naturally becomes disgusted and sore, blue, discouraged and despondent. Then is the time he needs more than ever the helping, brotherly hand of encouragement and to be given the assurance that he has at least one man and friend in the world, who perhaps understands and who will see him through his time of trial.
Don't, Can't or Won't the Public realize that a man must have actual cash in his pockets [nowadays] to live and exist? Can't you realize that he cannot live on air? be your intentions ever so good and well meaning toward him. Some of you will say "Yes I am willing to help and to be a brother to such a man" BUT how many of you when the opportunity is offered you dig down into your pockets and give the man without obligating him in any way or manner to return the money? How many of you have even asked such a man if he had car fare or if he had had anything to eat?
I shall now tell you two personal experiences that happened to the writer only yesterday. A boy of 19 years who had been in a reformatory for a period of time put there by an inhuman Step Father, had actually went to work on some of the large Steamship Docks handling the heaviest kind of freight, without anything to eat at all. At noon time he asked for and received $.50 for his dinner, but owing to the fact that he was so hungry and weak the overloading of his stomach made the unfortunate Lad sick and he could not return to his job. The writer although a grown man of 46 years of age was in many offices yesterday talking to so called Christian Gentlemen and who knew that he had only been just released from prison a very few days and was looking for a job, only two asked him anything about his financial affairs. One of them kindly loaned him $5.00 the other gave him the last $1.00 bill he had in his pocketbook. And this last named man just happens to be an ex-convict himself, but Thank God he reformed before his release and is now doing actual Christian, and practical work and is not asking only empty promises.
I am now referring and writing of Mr. Michael J. Hickey, Field Secretary of the League of Another Chance Inc. #156 Fifth Ave. N.Y. CITY. N.Y. He has been in his present location for 4 months and has helped dozens of men into decent jobs without any character references. You personally can assist in this [illegible] Philanthropic work well knowing that your confidence will not be misplaced in any way, by sending to Mr. Hickey the number of open positions you may have and also a big fat check monthly, for he actually needs hundreds of dollars monthly, to help rehabilitate the unfortunate men whom society has ostracized in helping to make of these men decent respectable, law abiding men and you may by so acting save yourself quite a bit of [Burglar] insurance by making these men decent and respectable.
Now in conclusion let me impress upon you the necessity of not giving only promises, and of your moral assistance but give freely, cheerfully and willingly of the material things of life that each man and woman can and does need.
May the Giver of All Good guide you in both your decisions and actions in this very important matter not only to you but to your fellow man and brother.
May GOD bless each one of you is my daily prayer.
Written by Wm. B. Grimes.
Writing name and better known as REX YOUNG.
Comments