The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-05
The Treatment of Convicts in England,

in this inquiry, some light is thrown on one
OF the most difficult and interesting of social
proDlcins namely, the proper classification
and graduated treatment of offenders.
| Up ~ a very recent date, when close scru-
| tiny and vigorous remembrance compelled
the appointment OF this commission, there
was popular impression that the British
method of dealing with criminals was ingc-
niously conceived, and fully vindcatcd by
its practical results. Notwithstanding
rapid Increase Of population, crime OF the
| more serious kind seems to be decreasing in
| the United Kingdom, not only relatively
To the number Of Inhabitants, but abso-
lutely. Thus, in 1861 tho convictions
| for all sorts of offences amounted TO nearly
| 1900; ten years later they fell little short
| OF $4,000. II Is true that in 1856 the commit
ments for crime against the person were
only 1919, and that rather more, or 2,l75,
were had in 1873; but during the same pc
riod crimes against property, attended with
violence, had declined from 2,25s TO 800
and there was an almost equal percentage
OF social improvement tracoabe in that
class OF offences known as crimes against
property without violence.
Again, the annual average number OF SEN
fences to penal servitude for the five years
ending 1859 was upward Of three thousand
and In 1871 only about eighteen hundred. An
other numerical statement on which much
stress has been laid, is the reduced percent
age of English convicts who return to
prison. On the whole, the decrease in the
activity Of the English criminal clnss Is
manifest enough and although other pow
erful agencies. such as emigration, rcforma-
cob md
increase in the skill and numbers Of the
police, must share with the penal system the
credit Of the result it Is conceded even by
its opponents that the English method of
treating offenders is productive Of much
good as a deterrent, and OF some little good
in the way Of reformation.
Many facts, however, are adduced by the
HOWARD Associations which indicate the
existence OF much that is vicious in princi-
pie, while, according to q remarkable narra-
tive entitled Five Years Penal Sery,tude.
by one who has endured It," even the obvi-
Gus function Of deterring discharged con-
Wet from repeating his offence is most i'm
perfectly performed 1t may be useful,
therefore, to point out very briefly the lead
ing peculiarities OF convict punishment in
lduN' promising liibb Au' lidObi't hNN
is to condemn those guilty OF minor offences
to imprisonment for short terms In the
county or borough jail, and that in the case
of greater crimes the Offenders receive
sentence " penal scrvltude which takes
the place of tho old system Of transporta-
ton, and whose minimum period Is five
years. During the first nine months the
convict is kept In solitary confinement, ami
| there is no doubt that this part Of the sem
tonce, which is enforced with the utmost
rigor, might be very effective deterrent II
| its impression We're not speedily oilaced.
But at the end Of nine months the prospect
brightens, and the convict is sont To one OF
the great public work prisons To labor in
gang where it is phy sically impossible to
prevent conversation, which. moreover, on
certain occasions is freely permitted by the
rules. 1t appears that the only principle of
classification ms regards the particular
| prison selected. depends "n health aud
strength and presumed fitness for certain
industries So, too. what is known as a
convict's class" within each prison has no
reference to length Of sentence, number of
convictions, general character or previous
habits and occupation. but merely indicates
the length of time which he has served.
! Accordingly men stepped in crime from
childhood work. walk, and converse with raw
lads respectfully educated who have been
| guilty OF some single act Of fraud; nor are
| prison directors able, under the present sys-
TEN, to mitigate in any materia! de-
gree the mischicfs OF this association. 1t
is further IA he noted that with every year
OF confinement the life OF an English con-
Wet becomes more tolerable. His oppor-
tunites Of writing letters and receiving
visits increase, his food improves, and he
gains some little power of choice in diet ;
through custom too his work at first irk-
some, becomes light, and the regulations
casy to obey or to cvadc, while through the
same influence OF long habit his whole sur
roundings grow less hateful and their con-
trast 20 ordinary life less poignant. Final
ly II the convict has been well-behaved and
Industrious or, in the prison idiom has
earned all his marks, one-fourth Of his SEN
tence is RENTED, and he Is liberated under
license" or ticket Of leave, which obllges
him to report himself to the police for the
uneXprcd period. This practice OF remis-
sion under surveillance il ndiscriminatoly
applied TO the professional burglar or pick
pocket and 10 the casual offender who is
| unlikely TO commit n second crime.
Now ii Is obvious that convict prisons
which, among other Objectionable features,
harbor the mschcfs of indiscriminato treat
mcnt and associatOn-n Notwithstanding the
cleanliness, order, and discipline which may
distinguish them are very far from answer
ing the reiOrnatOry ends OF II penal systom.
II was stated, indeed, by some Of the speak
ers at the International Prison Congress Of
1872, that no classification of prisoners based
on character is possible. AS a matter of
fact, however sufficient material for a tolcr-
ably correct estimate Of character is fur
nished every day in the criminal courts
during Il trial, and those data, ii is claimed,
might be turned to practical account
in grading convicts. Some standard of
classification, at all events, other than length
Of service, will doubtless be adopted by the
commission, since a main ground Of its APP
polntmcnt was the growing conviction that
u criminals Importance AS dangerous
member Of the community must DO kept in