OF THE

Annual Congress

OF THE

American Prison Association

Baltimore, Maryland, November 9 to 14

1912

INDIANAPOLIS

WM. B. BURFORD, PRINTER

PREFACE.

The Annual Congress of the American Prison Association for 1912 was held in Baltimore, Maryland. For several years the delegates from that State had been earnest in their effort to secure from the Association an acceptance of their invitation to hold the annual meeting in Baltimore. "Maryland needs you," was a large part of their urging. With the opening of the Congress it became at once apparent that a large group of Maryland's citizens, men and women, State and other officials, were waiting and ready to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by the meeting to focus public attention on the question of Prison Reform, and Maryland's situation with respect thereto.

The program, in some respects, was laid out with special reference to Maryland's needs. The printed proceedings, however, unfortunately give little evidence of the numerous private and informal conferences between individuals and groups of citizens of Maryland and members of the Congress. These informal meetings and "talks" were of no less value, even though unrecorded, than these printed and more formal proceedings.

Some results of the Baltimore meeting, as of former meetings of the Association, were doubtless at once apparent in improved local conditions, but the larger and more important re sults will be seen only when the stimulated and informed interest of those immediately affected by its sessions has reacted on the public conscience of the state as a whole. All of which means that Prison, as well as all other Social Reforms, must come through public education; and education that is at once safe and sane is of slow growth.

Trenton, March 1, 1913.

JOSEPH P. BYERS,

General Secretary.