The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-01-16
For the Lansing State Republican.
Reforma.ory Educafion.-NO. 2.

SeiNe out approval OF :tlcciioi III proportion 10
their promise of remuneration CT their failure to
give such promise.
We thus bring the ReiormsIory question 10
this ordeal, 10 understand its value. VIII this
charity pays VIII il pay the public? VIII it
paw the private hborer?
Several minor Questions are involved in this
original question, ali Of which demand our con
sideraton before We can arrive AZ a final ad-
iustmeut Of the question Will Reiormatories paw
We are tirs; 10 inquire, when child has lett tie
path of honesty for one of vice and crime how
much will il cost TO reclaim such clilt, and
whether the increased rates which government
or private charity viii be called upon 10 pay for
the chids reformation WILDE reiun!ed TO society
in whole or in part. Nor are these dual OF
questions the only ones which we are obliged to
over against these pair of questions two more
equally pertinent 10 this subject meet US viz:
How much does it cost 10 support a person rs
criminal during "A lifetime. and then the results
OF such a life to the community? When these
two pairs OF questions are carefully considered,
then We may answer satisfactorily the original
question, will 'Reformatories paw"
Let us then return TO the first minor question,
what do Relormatores cost? This question IS
one in which all payers will take an ntercs-.
We find that the average cost " per cdDitH " of
English helormatories is between 90 and 25 do
lars AT Metray, in France, tie entire cost Of
each youth from the time OF his reception to the
time he is placed out in an hon, 81 cahng--,hat
is the cost OF his reformation. does rot exceed
30 dollars. In Germany the entire cost Of ref
orma,ion does rot exceed ISIS dollars OF our cur
rency.
In our American ketormatories according 10
the various reports which were brought up To
tn, Convention he'd ia New York about two
wears since, from the various schools IN different
parts OF the county. We fad that the highest
rate 'p.r copitu" OF any was that of -. Louis
which amounted to ! II dollars This high rate
results from the increased expense of living in a
weston cii, Besides the school located at 81.
Louis, onv three Others exceeded hundred
dollars; while > schools tell be3ow that sum.
The average cost ''per capitu' as these re-
ported in ~ schools, amounted to $50 -
| Now At We take the average period OF deten-
ton in sixteen of the Institutions above referred
TO, which j. found TO be % - months, we shall
| find that the average cost for reforming child
| in American Retormatores is fraction over ! 80
dollars from tie reception of said child until
placed in service or returned to parents This
sum q 50 dollars) is the average cost Of of pla-
cling criminal boy upon his feet.
But let lis see if the expenditure OF this small
sum is warranted by the results 20 be real
lied? What are the results which we hope u
accomplish in the reformation Of the cliltrcn.-
First, we desire TO save the expense of support
ing them criminals or paupers. Then, again
we hope that by the development of the individ
ual, educational and moral activities Of these
children 10 return them TO society, not as bur-
den, but helps to assist in bearing the burdens
o. life.
| Annually in the various reiormatories Of our
country, 5000 children are saved from life Of
vice and crime, saved from being burden to
society, to help forward her interest in labor,
education and lie OF integrity and honesty; all
these vast results secured at the small expen-
diture of 4i6 900 dollars. This subject considered
wholly as pecunary transaction Is one which
commends itself TO State policy and private phi
lanthropy. But add to all this the amount of
misery stad the happiness created, the light
which lights up thousands of dwellings, and last
| though not least, the salvation Of an immortal
being in a coming world; in view of all these
great and mighty considerations, who will dare
affirm tina; Reforma,o;y Education " does not
paw g
Again, let nae ask, how much does il cost 70
maintain a child in a life Of crime This cues
ton, of course, is involved in obscugity, for
the materials for such an estimate cannot be
wholly supplied, for tie simple reason that We
cannot know the number OF criminal prosecu-
tons which may have occurred in various places
aud az diverse umes-nor can We know the
amount of pecuniary loss that the members OF
society suffer from the violation of the rights OF
property, for il oft occurs that thc criminal e.
capes the meshes Of the Law while he lives
having spent an entire life In dishonesty and
crime-yet with all the cnbarTassmeuts which
attend the arriving at accurate results, we NAV
approximate towards the truth, and form jadg
ment in relation thereto which will not widely
vary from the truth. The estimate given ia re-
lation to this subject amounts TO this: that the
cost per capita Of maintainance Of each crini-
nal while in prison, is Eot far from one hundfed
dollars. Now TO this estimate add the cost oil
one, two and even as high as one dozen OF APP
prehensions during lifetime. Then again add
to this sum the depredations committed against
property, which careful estimate of one versed
in this subject places at the value of 100 dollars
per year-nulliply this sum by the amount o:
years spent in a life Of crime, and ho~ greatly
is the sum enlarged.
Then when We turn our attention to the results
which flow from life of crime-the influence 0.
a corrupt example entailed, the many brish;
prospects OF the future clouded. The MISERY
generated ;-the gray hairs which whten for
the tomb, the tears, the sigls. anguish, phys
zeal, mental and moral occa.iened, and last
of all, the ruin Of deathless spirit in tie world
to come When we bring these sad results in
contac, with the hopelessness which shines upon
the path of the reforrner who viii dare affirm
that reforms.ory education does not pay?
What is paving charity II the reformation o.
wayward youth is nots Let society, then, ,hro'
the Medium Of her Law makers make such laws |