Chapter 387. To parole United States prisoners, and for other purposes
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CHAP. 387.— An Act To parole United States prisoners, and for other purposes. June 25, 1910.[[S. 870](/us/bill/61/s/870).][[Public, No. 269](/us/pl/61/269).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That every prisoner who has Prisoners. Parole from United States prisons. been or may hereafter be convicted of any offense against the United States, and is confined in execution of the judgment of such conviction in any United States penitentiary or prison, for a definite term or terms of over one year, whose record of conduct shows he has observed Condition. the rules of such institution, and who has served one-third of the total of the term or terms for which he was sentenced, may be released on parole as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 2. That the superintendent of prisons of the Department of Board of parole. Justice, and the warden and physician of each United States penitentiary shall constitute a board of parole for such prison, which shall establish rules and regulations for its procedure subject to the approval Clerk, meetings, etc. of the Attorney-General. The chief clerk of such prison shall be clerk of said board of parole, and meetings shall be held at each prison as often as the regulations of such board shall provide: *Provided*, That *Proviso*.
In other prisons. in every case where a prison other than a United States penitentiary is used for the confinement of such prisoners it shall be the duty of the Attorney-General to designate the officers of said prison who, together with the superintendent of prisons shall constitute such board for said prison. Sec. 3. That if it shall appear to said board of parole from a report Application. Discretion to release. by the proper officers of such prison or upon application by a prisoner for release on parole, that there is a reasonable probability that such applicant will live and remain at liberty without violating the laws, and if in the opinion of the board such release is not incompatible with the welfare of society, then said board of parole may in its discretion 820 Terms and conditions. authorize the release or such applicant on parole, and he shall be allowed to go on parole outside of said prison, and, in the discretion of the board, to return to his home, upon such terms and conditions, including personal reports from such paroled person, as said board of parole shall prescribe, and to remain, while on parole, in the legal custody and under the control of the warden of such prison from which paroled, and until the expiration of the term or terms specified in his sentence, less such good time allowance as is or may hereafter be provided Limits of residence. for by Act of Congress; and the said board shall, in every parole, fix the limits of the residence of the person paroled, which limits *Proviso*.
Approval by Attorney-General. may thereafter be changed in the discretion of the board: *Provided*, That no release on parole shall become operative until the findings of the board of parole under the terms hereof shall have been approved by the Attorney-General of the United States. Sec. 4. Arrest on violations. Arrest on violations. That if the warden of the prison or penitentiary from which said prisoner was paroled or said board of parole or any member thereof shall have reliable information that the prisoner has violated his parole, then said warden, at any time within the term or terms of the prisoner’s sentence, may issue his warrant to any officer hereinafter authorized to execute the same, for the retaking of such prisoner.
Sec. 5. Officers authorized to arrest. That any officer of said prison or any federal officer authorized to serve criminal process within the United States, to whom such warrant shall be delivered, is authorized and required to execute such warrant by taking such prisoner and returning him to said prison Expenses chargeable to prison. within the time specified in said warrant therefor. All necessary expenses incurred in the administration of this Act shall be paid out of the appropriation for the prison in connection with which such expense was incurred, and such appropriation is hereby made available therefor.
Sec. 6. Hearing by board. That at the next meeting of the board of parole held at such prison after the issuing of a warrant for the retaking of any paroled prisoner, said board of parole shall be notified thereof, and if said prisoner shall have been returned to said prison, he shall be given an opportunity to appear before said board of parole, and the said board may then or at any time in its discretion revoke the order and terminate such parole or modify the terms and conditions thereof.
Revoking order. If such order of parole shall be revoked and the parole so terminated, the said prisoner shall serve the remainder of the sentence originally imposed; and the time the prisoner was out on parole shall not be taken into account to diminish the time for which he was sentenced. Sec. 7. Parole officer. Duties. That each board of parole shall appoint a parole officer for the penitentiary over which it has jurisdiction. Subject to the direction and control of such board, it shall be the duty of such officer to aid paroled prisoners in securing employment and to visit and exercise supervision over them while on parole, and such officer shall have such authority and perform such other duties as the board of parole may Salary, etc. direct.
The salary of each parole officer shall be fixed by the board of parole, but shall not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars per annum, which, together with his actual and necessary traveling expenses, when approved by such board, shall be paid out of the appropriation for the maintenance of the penitentiary to which he is assigned, which appropriation is hereby made available for the purpose. Supervision of marshal. In addition to such parole officers the supervision of paroled prisoners may also be devolved upon the United States marshals when the board of parole may deem it necessary.
Sec. 8. Gratuities to paroled prisoners. That it shall be the duty of the warden of the prison to furnish to any and all paroled prisoners the usual gratuities, consisting of clothing, transportation, and five dollars in money; the transportation furnished shall be to the place to which the paroled prisoner has elected to go, with the approval of the board of parole. The warden of the prison who furnishes these gratuities is hereby author- 821 ized to charge the actual cost of the same in his accounts against the United States: *Provided, however*, That when any such paroled prisoner *Proviso*.
No additional, on final discharge. shall have received his final discharge, while he is away from such prison, he shall be entitled to no further gratuities provided for discharged prisoners under existing law. Sec. 9. That whenever any person has been convicted of any Convicts in State reformatories. offense against the United States which is punishable by imprisonment, and has been sentenced to imprisonment and is confined therefor, in any reformatory institution of any State in accordance with section fifty-five hundred and forty-eight of the Revised Statutes, or R.
S., sec. 5548, p. 1075. Parole under State laws. other laws of the United States, then if such State has laws for the parole of prisoners committed to such institutions by the courts of that State, such person convicted of any offense against the United States shall be eligible to parole on the same terms and conditions and by the same authority and subject to recommittal for violation of such parole in the same manner, as persons committed to such institutions by the courts of said State, and the laws of said State relating to the parole of prisoners and the supervision thereof in such institutions are hereby adopted and made to apply to persons committed to such institutions for offenses against the United States.
The necessary cost of parole and supervision of such prisoners, to the Expenses. State where such institution is located shall be paid by the United States out of the appropriation for the support of prisoners confined in state institutions, which appropriation is hereby made available for the purpose. No such prisoner shall be entitled to go on parole Approval of Attorney-General. until the Attorney-General shall have approved the order therefor: *Provided*, That when a prisoner is committed to such institution outside *Proviso*.
Returned to home. of the State where he lives he may be permitted by his parole to return to his home, and in such case the supervision of such prisoner on parole shall devolve upon the marshal of the district where said prisoner lives, and in case such prisoner should violate his parole a warrent for his recommitment shall be delivered to and executed by said marshal. Sec. 10. That nothing herein contained shall be construed to impair Pardoning, etc., power of President not impaired. the power of the President of the United States to grant a pardon or commutation in any case, or in any way impair or revoke such good time allowance as is or may hereafter be provided by Act of Congress.
Approved, June 25, 1910.