Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-05-13

The subject of reform in the management
of criminals is attracting universal attehtlon
both In this country and England at the pres
cnt time. One of the leading features OF the
proposed reform In England Is In regard 70
the expense of maintaining the criminal
classes. One of the London papers says that |
while the inmates Of the British prisons are
well fed and clad and gratuitously supported
by an already overburdened nation in unre.
forming idleness, the honest peasantry Of
whole counties In Scotland ard Ireland are
Obliged to 90 barefoot and hungry. This
structure upon the present English system OF
managing the convicted and imprisoned
criminals is just one, and it is due 10 az
classes that II should be reformed. IL VIII
not do to place premium upon the com.
mission of crime, and, so far as the criminal
Is concerned, steady employment is better
than idleness. There is great Improvement
possible, both in this county and in England,
In the management OF the criminal classes,
and it is encouraging TO know that the sub
iect Is receiving increased attent on IN Do!n
countries. There are two things that should
always be kept equally in mind in dealing
with those who have violated the laws, ana
these are, the proper punishment OF the
criminal as safeguard for society, and the
prevention of crime by the reformation oil
the criminal There is broad field in the
management Of this whole subject, and 1t is
rather humiliating to our modern ideas OF
progress to reflect that so little efficient at
| teniion has recently been paid 10 ii.
| The question Of expense in the maintc-
nance of the criminal classes is serious one
everywhere, and one that cannot be ignored
in the discussion Of proposed reforms on
either side of the Atlantic. The annual cost
of supportingthe criminals in this country u
about SO, 100000 above their earnings. ana
the raising of this sum in the several States
form quite an item of taxation. In our own
State, where this business is managed very
well, our prisoners cost us S30O,O00 las
year in advance OF all their earnings. Th'
expense Of keeping prisoners in the count,
tails, where the number confined is small is
proporticnately larger than elsewhere, ~,
our county prisoners cost us last year anon
$50 each above their earnings.
In these days of high-pIiced labor II woul
seem that able bodied prisoners ought TO b
able to earn enough to reimburse the Stat
for their support, and that too without ciIhc
starving or overworking them. or conrs
there are many difficulties in the way, an
ii is sometimes physically impossible
utilize the labor of men who have no intcre'
in their work and who would prefer not
pay for their subsistence by shoe makinl
| slOuc cutting vi any othci piisoh h"hNhNi -
The Detroit House of Correction for IL
past few years has been seli-supportisg II
, siiiuiion, its inmates earning some sew.
i or eight thousand dollars per year above u
expense of their maintenance. Our ow
. State Prison is also an exception 10 the
non-paying institutions. Under MIR. Haynt
excellent management it paid profit Ia
! wear of $25, 900 or $3.50, 900, and we belle
is paying at that rate now. Such results
these are very pleasant for tax payers, al
the fact that they have been secured in tho
IT institutions gives reasonableness to the su
;. position that they can be secured elsewhe
~ We shall never be without our crimii
S. classes in this country and il is OF impo
IN ance that our methods of dealing with tn
shall be such as to render them rs little
burden as possible TO the honest and
. dustrious classes who have to pay the tan
VI and at the same time show them that II
as better to keep good laws than 10 break the