The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-08-23
PlECOClTY IN CRIME.

4 sud Chapter. Worthy the Consideration
of All.-whnt shall be Done with Youth
fui Criminuist
There arc anomalies to which the
world never gets accustomed. A youth
fnl criminal, for instance, is continual
surprise. The old offender, the hard
cncd sinner, tho wretch who has taken
his degrees i'll crime, or the tainted from
whom nothing better WIS expected, are
regarded by us with stolid eq,nnimity.
We respect the adago which declares
that no one can become altogether vile
Mt once and yet police reports, not less
than the many penal institutions for cal
low convict, show that there isno crime
which Il young person may not commit.
Every city, Slys the New York Tribune,
has its "hoodlums," though tho noisome
tribc seems to have been most remark.
ably developed in San Francisco and
other cities OF California Z; or mt least is
best marked and classified i'll that State.
In Massachusetts very young person is
now under sentences Of death for muir
der and will probably be executed. At
Atchison, Kansas, the other day, three
lads, tho Oldest only fourteen years OF
agc, the youngest about twelve, in jail
for larceny, astOnished everybody by
breaking out in the most scientific, and
by running off iu the most successful,
way. Whoever reads the newspapers
knows that it is the boys who make
more than II moicty of work for police
men and for police courts There is
hardly any crime which they do not
cOmmit-murder, burglary, arson, for.
gerry, theft, assault. This is fact SO
well recognized that everywhere there
nre societies OF the benevolent sort seek
ing to reform these little rlscals, and
singularly hard work it is found to be.
Kindness seems to be wasted faith 10
human nature is lost patience is ex-
hanstcd; md tho result is, as today in
Massachusetts,, that the pucrilty of the
criminal is forgotten or is not taken into
the estimate il awarding the penalty of
boys 0ilense. He Inns about him MI the
signs and tokens OF maturity, even if it
be bad one, aud he is dealt with nc
'cOrtlingly. While We are making much
Of him us m Oliver Twist he turrss out
TO boz Artful Dodgcr, and really much
sharper tlhn his instructors in morality.
So he is left tO be dealt with by the Off.
GERS Of the law, who rarely have much
pity for him, or show him much mercy.
We lock him up and he comes ont any
thing but Il pcnitent, having associated
with his superiors in sin and iniqmty,
aud with the result which might have
been expected. He goes ut once to the
old trade, md presently We lock him up
again. Whether his life be long or
short, he is destined to pass tho better
rnrt Of it within the four stone walls Of
prison; and when ut Inst he is sent
there for the remainder Of his natural
life, he humbugs the chaplain, md ex-
pends NIL his ingenuity in dovising ways
and means for obtaining MI executive
pardon.
There is one thing, however, which,
lose we patience ~ We may, it is only
Justice to remember. Without indulg-
ing in any falsc aud romantic sympathy,
it may be said for him, that the juvenile
criminal is projected into world for tho
evil influences Of which he is not per-
sonally responsible. Wodo not mean to
say thHt he does not know tlmt he'is
doing wrong when lie steals, for he does;
but what we would point ont is, that ho
meets such lArge opportunity Of steal
ing. The chance OF committing the
crime, it il not to be denied, he finds
ready made to his larcenous little hand.
He is born to the business; it would DO
absurd to say that he does not know that
it is M unlawful one; but he is tempted
from the start. To be sure, no sinner
can plead TINT he found sin in tho world
upon his coming into it. He is not ab-
solved by the general and ancient char.
nctcr Of wrong doing; he is to DO pun.
ished without reference to the doctrine
OF natural dcpnvity; while at the same
time ho Inns given quite unnecessary evi.
deuco OF the truth Of TINT doctrine.
hut he is to go to iail all the same.
There is m ethical point which society