“Paroled At Reformatory Now Makes $12,000 A Year,” Toronto Star. March 16, 1932. Page 1 & 9. ---- Youths Not Criminals, Says T. D. Bell - Can’t Drive Stolen Cars ---- RECLAIM 4 OUT OF 5 ---- By ARCHIBALD LAMPMAN Most of the young men in Ontario’s reformatories and industrial institutions are not criminals. It is a case of misdirected energy. Eighty per cent of them make good on parole. About 900 are now holding down good jobs. Good luck to them.
We got this straight from the man who has one of the toughest jobs on record - T. D. Bell, acting chief officer and secretary of the parole board. His job may be tough, but he likes it. He wars on old-time prejudice and prison stigma. He’s giving them the bums’ rush.
He’’s got to take the laddie who slipped realize he’s not a criminal. He meets him on his own ground and offers the glad hand. No religious chatter. No high-hat. It’s a job they want. And ‘thanks, old timer - you’re a white guy,’ is usually the result. Less than 20 per cent. break faith.
Mr. bells directs the works from his own in Queen’s Park. We called. He wasn’t broadcasting. But we were interested - so, he was nice enough to open up. Ten minutes late we knew why he was getting results. He was human.
Job Is First Thing First he explained how the parole board works. Here you are - statistics and everything.
When half a man’s definite term is served, he automatically comes before the board. They have his history from the time he was born. If the board think he’s okay and deserves a break, his parole is approved. But he must serve his full definite term, less five days per month for good behavior. Parole takes effect during the indeterminate sentence. A job’s waiting for him - it’s got to be waiting for him or he can’t be paroled. No unemployment allowed. Eight hundred and fifty were paroled last year. Figure that out in these nice jobby days.
All right. The man’s got a job and has his liberty. What then? Well, he’s still serving sentence in the eyes of the law. Breach of parole can send him to the penitentiary, or back to the reformatory. But the lad is trying - hard. He must send a report, signed by his employer, or other responsible person to the board the first of every month.
Is his employer told the man he is employing is on parole. Not necessarily. Can he change his job his own? He is not supposed to, but the board uses savvy. If he reports the change, it is usually accepted. Do some of the lads get away with a lot of things they shouldn’t? They do. The board hasn’t a regiment to look after all personally.
Extra Mural System Another system by which a man is let out of an institution is extramural, used when his family is in distress. About 325 last year. He can work. But he hasn’t the liberty a parole man has. He can’t leave the municipality to which he is assigned. But, then he’s still serving definite sentence. He has a deputy custodian. And he has to be in by eight every night. Perhaps sleep in the local jail. Only about 4 per cent. of the 2,000 in the last ten years let the board down.
There you have the two systems. Parole is the reclaimer - the character builder. Two thousand one hundred were up before the board last year. About 65 per cent. of the Ontario Reformatory are placed on parole. About 80 or 90 are paroled every month. Fine. It looks swell on paper - but get off the line and let’s hear what Mr. Bell has to say. Here goes:
‘You’ve got to get them thinking right - get their gratitude,’ he says. ‘They must look at it in this light - ‘Here’s a man who’s getting us a job - got us a job - somebody must be taking an interest in us after all.’‘
‘Yeh - but what about the scoffers - the hard guys?’ ‘They amount to only about one or two per cent. They’re the the that figure they’ve been sentenced for this or that and they’ll pay the price. They don’t want to be helped.’
Some Won’t Respond ‘You say about 2,100 came before the board last year and only some 850 were paroled - what about those that weren’t paroled?’ ‘some of those didn't want parole. Tried it before, perhaps, and were afraid they couldn’t make good. And the one we couldn’t find jobs for.’ ‘Well, what about these hard guys - don’t they spread a lot of adverse propaganda in the jail about parole?’ ‘Nothing to worry about. Those who have had parole know.’
‘What about the lad who doesn’t want, or get parole when he gets out. Anybody look after him?’ ‘Yes - the social service people are trying to do something - but they have no hold over them. They’ve served their sentence.’
He shoved a letter over to us. It was a letter of gratitude. ‘He’s now a manager of a firm - a brilliant chap.’ ‘Any others?’ ‘Lots - off-hand, one drawing $12,000 a year.’ Makes you think, eh?
Misdirected Energy And then came the human stuff. We knew it was there.
‘You know, I don’t know what’s the matter with these young people nowadays.’ We waited. ‘I think it’s misdirected energy. Too anxious to get ahead. Can’t wait. So, try to take a short cut. And there you are.’
‘They’re not criminals?’ This brought a flash. ‘That’s he one thing we got to get out of their mind - they’re not!’ Then - ‘It’s funny - back about 1905, when I was on the staff at Manitoba penitentiary, prisoners were all old men - now they’re all young.’
‘Why’s that?’ ‘I don’t know - but some of these chaps haven’t done as much as you or I to deserve being in jail.’ Something like this had struck us before. ‘And most of the ‘fellows who steal cars can’t drive them. I went out with one of these chaps once and we would have been in the ditch if I hadn’t taken the wheel.’
It Might Be You He swung suddenly in his chair and pointed to a pile of folders. ‘There are 250 first offenders coming in. What have most of them done to get in jail? A couple stole some turkeys for a turkey roast.’
A reminiscent smile crept across his face. ‘I’ve done the same thing - only it was melons.’ The smile broadened. ‘Then I hit my teacher over the head with a hockey stick. Laid him out for four hours. He accused me of lying. I don’t lie. That would be assault nowadays.’
We nodded gravely. ‘Yes - it would.’ Among other things.
‘Do you know the only difference between some of these fellows and you or I?’ ‘What?’ We’d been afraid of this all along.
‘We weren’t caught.’




















