It must be remembered that we have not been able to secure a complete statement of results. Only a fragmentary report could be given of the work of one of the larger organizations, and many others have failed to report. Then, too, scattered up and down the land are individuals and groups of faithful men and women who do a very large amount of work for those who have yielded to temptation and become inmates of jails and prisons. No account of such work could be secured, and yet no one can fail to be impressed by the fact that a very great work is being done. A casual glance at the figures must cause one to realize the magnitude of accomplishments, and a careful study of this summary shows plainly that a tremendous amount of personal effort has been put forth. In view of present tendencies, it seems a fitting time to determine the place such organizations as make up the National Prisoners’ Aid Association, should fill in the field of delinquency, and what should be the aim of our Association. The work being carried on today in the field of delinquency is complex. In the first place it was largely a matter of ameliorating the severities that attended the life of the prisoner. The rule was that those who had the care of criminals were brutal. No one can read the history of prison life in past days, without being impressed with this fact. In a general way such treatment was considered the proper thing. Men had violated the law; they were criminals and should suffer the severities of punishment. All this has changed as the result of the light thrown on the injustice of such a course by men who gave the matter serious thought. They showed that instead of deterring the wrongdoer from future crime, such a course aroused in him all his latent possibilities for evil and caused him to become brutalized and a sworn enemy to society. It is a long road from the terrible things of the past to the present day conditions. Every step has been contested by the advocates of the _status quo_. Every step forward has come as the result of insistence on the part of the advocates of progress. Gradually punishment became less severe, the brutality of keepers was checked, filth and unsanitary conditions were outlawed, food became a matter for consideration, reformation a serious consideration, allowance for good behavior, thereby shortening the imprisonment, was introduced. The indeterminate sentence came into being, parole for prisoners and probation for first offenders followed. As one looks back it is a long road that has been traveled. At first it was the reformer, the enthusiast who led the way in advocating these things. Now it is the enlightened judge, the state officer, the prison warden and many others in official capacity, as well as the philanthropist and social worker who champion them. In view of this condition, is there any place for such organizations as we represent? We answer emphatically “YES.”