The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-10-25
THE PREVENTION OF CRIMINAL PRO-
PACATlON,

In discussing the scientific treat
ment of criminals and kindred topics,
the Scientific American has long
insisted that the safety OF the social
order demands different treatment
of the criminal classes than has
hitherto prevailed. The vindictive
method. the first resort in all rude
communities, has everywhere resulted
in failure. The severest punishments,
the most threatening OF DEGREES
against wrong-doing. have never yet
been able to diminish. much less sup
press. crime. Indeed, violence has
usually been met with violence; SO
that the prevalence of crime has, as
rule, been in direct ratio to the
severity of the law. AS reaction
against legal harshness, the sentiment
tai treatment of criminals arose. The
reformation of the criminal, not the
vindictive punishment of him, became
the WatchWOrd. Crime was regarded
as a purely moral disease, to be cured
bv moral agencies, with only SO much
severity and restraint as might be
necessary to prepare the subject for
the medicine, and secure his continued
treatment. This method has sue
ceeded better than the first, wherever
it has been thoroughly and consistent
Nv carried out; still it has failed utterly
wherever the time of treatment has
been arbitrarily limited, as it general
ly is, and in all cases where the
criminal tendency is the result OF low
organization or hereditary faint. And
it is open to the very serious obJec.
ton that it makes the criminal class,
, as whole, an unnecessarily heavy
I burden upon the honest and law.
I abiding. It puts the State in the
I attitude of an affectiOnate but unjust
g mother, who sacrifices the rights OF
her we'll behaved children upon thu
$ alter of her morbid affection for thu
u "black sheep of her little flock. Al
y a possible and more promising thlrt
$ course, our proposition was to SIM
'U the idea of vengence in the treatmen
n of criminals, and all the suggestion
Of sentimentality asVell. The crimi
nal is not devil-possessed monster t
be destroyed, or in any way made tn
j. subject Of vindictive or warning
y penalties; no more is he saint unde
[. q cloud. to be coddled, and cherishe'
"a and helped on to heaven. lie
If simply an i'll borne or i'll bred organ
n cation, more or less unfit to enjoy tn
IN privileges of civilized society
al Society may be really more to blam
RS than the criminal for his crimins
I'd condition; nevertheless, the safety (
it the whole makes it necessary that h
re should be restrained from the exercis
i'd of his evil propensities, and still MOI
ay that he should not be suffered
ne transmit his vicious organization
ed other generations. And in justice
er the law-abiding, the means adopte
ch for the securing of these ends shOu
lie be SO simple and direct that tt
Id inevitable burden of crime shOu
or not be needlessly exaggerated.
ne How the latter result can best
&c secured. it is not our purpose
ne consider here, orr attention beil
he just now drawn to the more impc
ed tant element of the problem. Il
m. prevention Of criminal propagate
We are glad to see that the novel al
sufficiently radical position taken
he the Scientific American. in the artie
I'D entitled 1.-The Generation of t
he Wicked" it is having its effect in t
ay right quarter, that is, among scienti
ed men who will ultimately have I'll
great reform to carry out. L
INT moment the public comes to unds
lis stand the enormous importance
ely heredity IN this and in other directio
his there will be stop, we fancy, to t
ne suicidal care that is now taken In
IS. many quarters to insure the perpetl
nd ton and survival of the worst.
'ly- In the closing pages Of his instrr
air tive survey of what American ZOO
)uS giStS have done toward the develOl