THE CENTRAL HOWARD ASSOCIATION; CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.
“In reply to your first question, would say that in all of the eight states in which this Association operates, the State itself furnishes a suit of clothes, including an overcoat in winter, to all released prisoners except in Kentucky, when men are paroled they do not receive clothing. In addition a discharge fee of from $5 to $10 is given them to make a new start. In one state, Minnesota, this discharge money amounts to $25. Your second question is, therefore, answered by stating that this Association is not called upon to furnish clothing and does not spend any funds for that purpose. In the case of all those who come to us from the Cook County Jail and the Chicago House of Correction, and do not receive clothing or discharge money, we sometimes fit them out with better clothing, but this is usually cast off clothing given to us by friends.” * * * * “In answer to question five, would state that we are directly connected with the ‘Parole Work’ in this and adjacent states. In the case of those who are entitled to parole in Illinois and are without friends or employers to sign their first papers, these papers are signed by me in many cases, and I keep the men under supervision during the period of their parole and they report through me to the officials. In the cases of adjoining states, except where the law permits them to be paroled outside of the state line, we secure employers who are residents of that state to sign the parole papers and serve as ‘first friend’ to the prisoner. This Association also furnishes a representative in connection with the Adult Probation Law to work with the paid Probation Officers in the courts in carrying out the provisions of said law.”