The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-08-11
JUVENILE CRIME AND REFORMA
TORIES


All adult criminals are only youthful crlmi-
mails developed. The seeds Of crime are i'm
planted In the infant aud the boy, and the
fruit is disclosed in the maturity of manhood.
We honestly believe that if every child were
rightly trained and radically established In
virtue, there would be few or no rogues and
murderers in the world. There is, we believe,
a physiological law which operates in the
moral constitution of humanity, as in the
structure Of plants.
GAS the twig is bent the trees inclined
was proposition which the philosophical
poet very wisely coupled with that other rela-
tive truth
otis education forms the common mind"
But society does not respect this momen-
tous ethical fact in its political provisions and
institutions. 1t deals with crime as an alb
straction. 1t seizes upon the isolated oflense
TO resent and avenge it, but does not concern
itself with the offender. 1t Furnishes, but does
not seek TO reform or prevent criminallty. 1t
leaves the embryo law-breaker to ripen into a
matured Ieprobate, and then clutches hold Of
the latter on the first opportunity to swing
him from gallows. 1t thinks its duty is full
filed when it takes life for a life, or cuts off
year or two Of q creatures liberty in liquida-
ton Of a sum of money stolen from bankers
chest, name forged on paying teller, or a
house burned over a citizens head.
Now we say that this is all wrong-that
this is justice misdirected-that this is sheer
pToftless cruelty and persecution. The object
Of all penal law and police should be to reclaim
the wrong doer, while making all poss BILE re-
paration for individual loss or injury. Public
safety and well-being are the only proper ends
Of erin inal administration and those ends can
be in no manner so effectually subserved as
by arresting the commission of wrong And
this object can be in no wise so certainly
reached as by destroying the race of the doers
OF wrong How can this be accomplished
But in one way. Nipping the evil in the bud.
Taking the child out OF the school o' vice
, whenever he is found In it, and educating the
natural instincts Of goodness in him, until
, they are unlolded In the perfect growth Of a
ripe, vigorous, and determiuate character,
whose highest law is virtue.
Our criminal Jurisprudence needs correct
, ing in this matter We want more sen.inaries
of righteousness and probity for the young,
, than iails and gibbets for the malcfactor. We
want more kind and pursuasiye discipline for
the ignorant and neglected children Of the
wsrld, than Draconan laws for the full
flcdged culprits. There will neverbe peace and
: order and security in any social System until
, the economy Of criminal Justice is changed
, from that Of vindlctivo retributiou to one o.
charitable reclamation and preyeutioI. This
must be done by the State, in conjunction
with private philanthropy.
We must have Houses OF Refuge where the
guardians of the law msy be substituted fol
the natural parent in all cases in which the
f latter Is not TO bc- trusted with the charge o
educating soul for the duties Of time and the
responsibilities Of eternity. We must have
reformatories where the inchoate rutian may
be stihed in the cradle, and the honest anC
upright man may be brought out into full
development by wholesome and genial cul
ture. They are paying more earnest attention
, to this vital matter in Great Britain than w
are, and It Is high time that we were talSini
hold Of it In a more serious temper.