The Portland daily press., 1871-02-13

| System.
The recapitulation of the suggestions madc
| by the commissioners on the jail system.
which we published some days since, the
same having been transmitted to us by tele-
graph, has awakened good deal o. interest
in the public mind. We now make copious
extracts from the text of the report with an
abstract Of the least important portions.
The Commissioners find the States Prison
all they could desire, except that there is no
provision for the secular or religious instruc-
| ton OF its inmates. After recommending that
tnis defeas belremeded they pass fdirectly to
| the subject ofjails, assuming in the outset the
| docuine--hetd to be heretical in some op,r.
ters-,hat punishment is primarily for the ra-
Iorm OF persons upon whom it is inflicted
and Tor the prevention of crime-that il is
remedial and not retaliatory. They then con-
slider the subject of the
\ 9-o-- CAUSES OF CRIME,
and here we quote directly from their re mort.
To determine the action to be taken to ,re.
cent crime, requires knowledge of the
causes which lead to its commission. that we
nay aeseemlne how far these are removable
or capableiof being circumscribed BY legisla-
| tion. y -~s'''''
Ii by inteuogating the present inmates of
our Jalls we can learn the reason of their
Delng there, we can safely assume that these
same causes can be relied on to keen I'M tbe
supply OF criminals, if their continued oper-
alton be permitted to go on unchecked by ac-
tive indifference.
The number of persons confined in the
States Prisons throughout the Union in 1870
was very near the exact figure of 10000 Of
these, more than a quarter could not read,
not more than one in twenty had ever learned
any trade, more than fourth we're aliens,
and many more were OF foreign parentage,
little less than this proportion were minors,
While over three per cent. were insane, idiotic
| or feeble-minded to such an extent as to Jus.
| tify their being so designated.
VI the prisoners at ThOmaston, one-fifth
are Of foreign birth, and many more of fer
elgn extraction; one-third are minors, and
quite large number more have barely passed
their majority. What their educational con-
ditiOn is the official report does not show. but
private inquiry has satisfied us that the pro-
portion of those able to read anything more
han the alphabet is but little less than that
above given as existing in all the prisons of
the country, Notwithstanding the fact that we
have not such a tide of immigration pouring
over our borders as is flowing into the Middle
and Western States, nor such q mass of io-
norant native population as is found in the
South.
Eighty-eight ou. of every hundred com.
mltted at ThomaStOn are found to have been
of previously Incorporate habits; nor should
we be surprised to find the percentage large
| OF those who have been frequent visitors at
"her house" which "is the Way to death. 90.
| ing down to the chambers of hell"
1t we examine the returns of those insti
tutions created for the purpose of restraining
and reforming Juvenile offenders-not confin-
ing ourselves to our own State, but taking
the statistics throughout the Union-we are
taught the same lesson as to the cause of their
early divergence from the paths of virtue.
The aggregate number of their inmates in
1868 was 1868; and the average age trife
Tess than thirteen gears. Or them about
twe-thirds we're of foreign extraction, nearly
the same proportion orphans, or halforphaus,
and OF the rest most had parents worse than
none. About one quarter OF these children
had become habituated to the use of intoxi-
eating liquors, and more than third (thirty-
six per cent, in Maine), used tobacco: two.
thirds are returned as profane, and nearly
one-third lin Maine) as vagrants, accustomed
| to sleep in barns, out houses, &C.
If measures could bc devised to prevent
children from growing up to defy the law and
to invade the rights of others, it is selfevident
| that crime would die out with the present
generation of offenders; therefore youth
should be protected from those evil influences
to which 1t is peculiarly exposed and least
able to resist, and especial care taken to guard
them while innocent, and reform them when
guilty.
The figures 10 which we have called atten-
ton direct us to five prolific sources of crime
Lack OF mental power, of mental culture, of
any useful handicraft, immaturity and exile.
1t is to be observed that most of these causes
to which we have adverted are negative in
their character. "They are want of knowl-
edge, want OF trade, want of work, want of
home, want OF friends, want of parents and
want OF mind" So far, then, as the State can
supply these wants it removes the causes, and
necessarily, the effects which follow. That
these evils can be entirely eradicated by legis-
latlon is, OF course, impossible; but in so far
as we are successful in our efforts in this di-
rectlon, by so much shall we probably dimin-
| iSh crime.
This statement of the needs of our crimi-
nal pepulation-including in this term not
mercy convicts, but that large class from
Whlch Ihelr ranks are principally recruited
OF i'seif indicates the proper remedy.
| IGNORANCE.
| In placing ignorance as the first and most
prollhc source OF crime we shall, doubtless.
meet with universal acquiescence, and are
| supported by evidence furnished from every
| quarter.
While ignorance of the law excuses no man
from suffering the consequences of miscon.
duct, it peculiarly exposes him to its penal
ties; we are therefore ourselves culpable il we
use no. every exertion to furnish thu means
OF information and to compel resort to
them. Our State has been, and is disposed to
be liberal in Its offer of opportunities for cul-
ture; yet hundreds, yea, thousands, of our
cnlldren are growing up "nearly as guileless
OF knowledge as if Eve had never rifed the
tree whcreon it grew" How many of the in
mates OF our penal institutions-and how
very many more outside them, but bending
their steps toward their gates-are unable t0
stand the miserable test of knowing how to
read! o" ~
How large proportion of our fellow cti-
zens are wholly illiterate we have no means
at hand of ascertaining, but in New York il
is stated that three per cent. of the communi.
| ty cannot read, while among the prisoners the
percentage is thirty-twO per cent. hence it is
| inferred that "Not knowing how to read is
eleven times more likely to lead to crime than
knowing;" or as DR.. Wines states it, "Ope
third OF the crime is com milted by one. fifth
eth of the population"
| Ii, then, the relationship between Ignorance
and crime be so intimate that which SO surely
leads to crime is itself criminal and should he
| SO treated.Our schools should not be absolutely
free but attendance should be compulsory ac-
| tually so, and not in name merely, The laws
| against truancy should be strictly enforced.
| as well as that relating to the employment OF
| children in our factories. And this important
| matter should not be left TO the discretion of
towns to be acted upon or neglected las those
things too frequently are which are left to no.
body in particular but it is duty imposed
upon legislators too important to be ,deleeat-
| ed.
Ii man threatens an assault npon the per-
son OF fellow citizen or the destruction of a
few dollars worth of property he may be ar
rested, ordered to give bonds TO keep the
peace and be of good behavior, and failing to
DO this, may be imprisoned. The mass of ig.
norance and youthful depravty in this State
| IS perpetual menace to .society-assaulting
its very foundations and invading its dearest
rights.
We have the right to compel enlighten-
ment; and if confinement and discipline be-
come necessary to enforce the reception of in
struction they should be resorted to, treating
truancy ays a cause for imprisonment the
| Reform School.
WANT OF TRADE.
Not only is the uulettered condition of so
large portion of our people shameful and a
reproach to us, but the figures also indicate a
dangerous ignorance of any proper and regu.
lar means or obtaining livelihood. What
the percentage is of those confined in our iaiIs
who are unacquainted with any useful handi-
craft we do not know; but finding that it is
seventy two per cent. in the county jas of
New York and seventv-four nor cant in tbosa