Some forty years ago it was written that every advance in the amelioration of convict prisons systems of discipline began in Philadelphia. In the discussion of these problems THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY took a conspicuous part. In 1856 the first published criticism of the contract system, under which the labor of the prisoners was sold for profit and to meet the prison expenses, issued from Philadelphia. The criticism was received with scorn and ridicule. Thoughtful students of humanitarian measures began investigations in one State after another, with the result that at the present time scarcely one State in the Union maintains such a system. But while Pennsylvania has led the way in many measures to reform the criminal and improve his condition, some States have made more rapid progress in these directions. Many States offer greater opportunities in their prisons for industrial employment than we can show in Pennsylvania. Most of the States have preceded us in the adoption of a Parole and a Probation system for adult convicts. PROBATION, PAROLE, INDETERMINATE SENTENCE. In 1909, the Legislature of Pennsylvania enacted a law providing for Probation for some classes of adult offenders, and also for a Parole of criminals sentenced to the Penitentiaries of the State under the conditions of an Indeterminate Sentence. Under the Probation Act, the Courts have power to suspend the imposition of the sentence and to place the defendant on Probation on such terms and conditions as the Court may deem proper. The Parole Law applied to the sentences of criminals sentenced to the Penitentiary on and after June 30, 1909. Two Members of THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY were very active in framing this law and in securing its passage. The Legislature of 1911 amended this law so as to render almost nugatory some of the provisions of the law with regard to the Indeterminate Sentence. The Chairman of our Committee on Legislation has ably discussed this subject in an article published in the JOURNAL which was issued in November, 1911. The following statistics, furnished by Parole Officer, JOHN MCKENTY, of the Eastern Penitentiary, show the operation of the law to the end of the year 1911. Number paroled since the law was effective 128 Number returned for failure to fulfill requirement 15 Number not reporting 3 Number of those paroled who have received final discharge 10 Number on Parole December 31, 1911 100 Percentage of success 85.9% These figures compare quite favorably with the results reported from other States in which this system has been for a longer period in vogue. THE EASTERN PENITENTIARY.