Legislative Messages of Hon. James V. Allred, Governor of Texas 1935-1939 Page: 122 of 263
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a man when he comes out of the penitentiary; to keep posted as to his
whereabouts and what he is going to do; to provide him with employment
if possible. Our experimental parole system has been in operation 18
months. Results speak for themselves. The system has attracted the interest
of other states and the Federal Government caused a special study
to be made, the results of which were very complimentary.
The members of these parole boards serve without pay. In most of the
districts, however, the matter of keeping the records of these men has become
a burden. Public-spirited citizens and civic organizations in Houston,
for instance, have secured voluntary contributions to keep a paid secretary.
It is essential in my opinion that the burden of keeping detailed records
of these men-the reports they make and which are made on them-should
be taken off the shoulders of the voluntary boards and that a reasonable
number of parole agents, well scattered throughout the State by districts,
should be authorized; that they be appointed by the Board of Pardon and
Parole Advisors. The Board should have an adequate appropriation of not
less than $250.00 per month for an energetic whole-hearted, capable secretary,
not only to assist the Board in matters pending before it, but to
direct the parole work throughout the State. Except for this volunteer
parole board, Texas has lagged far behind her sister states. All of the
more progressive ones have a program of probation and parole already
worked out.
It is not my idea to abolish the volunteer parole boards. On the contrary,
I think they should be given legal standing; and that the members
should be honored with a commission from the State of Texas. Through
them real human interest is given to what otherwise might become mechanical
activity on the part of paid parole agents. Through them and
their contacts with business and industry, jobs are secured for parolees.
In my judgment, with legal standing as proposed by this bill, the continuation
of the work by these volunteer boards will be a most valuable factor in
contributing to a solution of this great problem with which society is confronted.
When
the people adopted the amendment taking the power out of the
Governor's hands, and placing it in the board, they intended, in my judgment,
to take it out of politics. They were tired of conditions with which
we are all too familiar in the past. We ought to do everything we can to
give effect to the will of the people. In regulating procedure before the
Board, the Legislature would do well to prohibit the making of any contract
calling for the payment of a contingent fee in the event clemency is secured
or granted; and authorizing the Board to require any person appearing
before the Board to file an affidavit setting out clearly the consideration
for which he is appearing.
In this connection I respectfully urge this Legislature to incorporate an
unusually patriotic provision in the law-one prohibiting members of the
Legislature from practicing before the Board. The Legislature makes
appropriations for this Board; and it is but human that any appearance,
whether with or without pay, by members of the Legislature in behalf of
men condemned to die or sentenced to the penitentiary will at times prove
embarrassing.
In making this recommendation I want you to know that very few members
of the Legislature have appeared before me asking for clemency; and
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Allred, James V. Legislative Messages of Hon. James V. Allred, Governor of Texas 1935-1939, book, 1939; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth3899/m1/122/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .