Morning journal and courier., 1882-01-31
Criminals i'm the south.


 The question of methods of punishment for crime, or rather the question of the dis position to be made of criminals while they are undergoing punishment, where they are to be bestowed and how guarded, is fast be- coming most serious one in some of the southern States 1t appears to many thought full observers that the sheer iInpossibility of finding room, or secure prison accommoda- tions for the svarms and hordes of crimi- nals convicted of theft, must lead to changes in the lays relating to crimes of this class, and to some relaxation of the penalties Raw prov ided- This is the characteristic crime of the negroes that is, the thefts committed by them greatly outnumbe< those com mitted by white men, and the expense to which the State is subjected has already reached alarming proportions. But the ex- pense incurred Is not the worst feature of the case. These prisoners or criminals white and colored together, are so numerous that they constitute distinct social element or factor in the life and civilization of the community or State, with an Apprecisble in fuence upon public opinion, sentiment and morals. Their class must be recognized, in any just survey of existing conditions and tendencies, as the source Of potent formative or educating forces, as so many people are constantly in contact with them, either as guards or in other necessary rela- tions In the streets of some south ern capitals "the penitertisry stripes" ere nearly always in sight worn usually by men who are trusted to labor or at tend to errands outside of the prison inclo- sures, often, indeed, without being accompa- nied by guard. In one instance met a handsome young man, wearing the prison garb, at various times, in tho streets and al places of business in the city, and inquired regarding his crime and origin was told that he had murdered his most intimate a IL and that his conduct has been so satisfactory during his imprisonment that he would prob ably soon be released ''pardoned out" to quote the phrase used. I observed that he chattsd with the yomg women behind the counters in the stores, and with oth- CT customers, with easy self-posses- sion; and it was plain in this, as in many other cases, that neither the criminal nor the people about him felt that be was in any wise degraded by his crime, or that he was in consequence of it to suffer exclusion from pleasant social relations with the community. The penalties now enforced for some of the most common crimes do not constitute any real punishment for such men make up the mass of criminals in the southern States, where have examined the prisons and the methods of their management As many of them are not confined to the prison, nor even to the inclosure around it, sad as the labor of such convicts is by no mtans severe, being usually performed in a very leisurely manner, their life is not destitute of compensations and attractions for many idle, worthless negroes and young white men. They are brought up from dull little country towns, where they had mighty hard wck b live,n to city, where they have "a chance to see ali the sights" with better food, clothing and shel- ter than they have ever enjoyed before. What is to be the course of society, under the con- ditions of modern life, in its treatment of the classes requiring control and protection | criminals, paupers and insans persons-and what is to be the effect of the reflex influence which these classes will in turn exert upon society. are of course soraewhat serious prob | lens in all civilized countries, and ve have | abundant material and opportunity for ob- servation and experiment here in America