Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-12-28
Is jail Punishment :

II sNl Euutsumtu's
A man has Just been convicted In
Philadelphia for completely in the rob-
berry Of the Kensington bank away back
in 1871, mt which time he was police
man of the city. He was identified by
the watcbman of the bank and made
no defense beyond declaring that he was
not guilty. He has just been released
from the penitentiary, where Re had
been confined for eight years for a rob-
berry subsequently committed in Mont
gomery county. When asked why he
had not availej himself Of the service of
counsel and tried to defend himself from
a charge of which he declared his limo.
cence, he replied; " Why should l : |
have no money, and nc friends. am
better off in prison."
We notice the case, because ~ tur'
nishes good grounds for doubling tGs
efficacy of imprisonment as punish
ment for crime. We are very familiar
with the fact that there Is a numerous
class who prefer imprisonment to
liberty for short period, because
they are assured of maintenance
without the labor and worry OF
providing 1t for themselves. During the
winter time our jails are filed with
vagrants who regard their confinement
as q privilege rather than a punishment.
This Philadelphia case shows us a han
who having been for long term in
prison prefers to return to 1t rather than
enter into q struggle for subsistence in
freedom. The case is not an isolated
one at all, for We not seldom have
occasion to believe that crimes are
committed for the sole purpose Of OBJ
tanning public support, and that there
are many persons who have even less
fibre than the ordinary tramp, and who
are contented with life in Jail all the
year around and for years together.
This Philadelphia policeman, in his
willingness to pile decade upon decade
of Imprisonment, affords but striking
exemplhcation of the feeling of a class.
That men who accept Imprisonment
with such willingness should not be
given imprisonment as punish
ment, since it is not a punish
ment, is proved by the statement.
What then should be done with them
1t will not do TO make their imprisOn
ment less comfortable than it is, for it is
already as uncomfortable as humanity
will allow. There Is, to be sure, no
corporal punishment in Pennsylvania
prisons. Probably IL there was they would
be less popular. But such punishment
IL given, should be part Of the 1entence
properly awarded. At present public
sentiment is opposed to the corporal
punishment of criminals so that simple
imprisonment seems to be the only
available penalty of crime. Its cOndi.
tions need to be greatly amended to
make it effective 1t certainly should
not be an inducement to crime and the
discharged criminal should not want to
return to it II the state would find
employment for those who are dis
charged from its jails, 50 that they could
honestly earn their livelihood, 1t is rea
sonable to suppose that they would
rather work in liberty than in confne-
ment. Something should be done to
this end. 1t is cruel and impOlitic
thing TO turn men out of jail to provide
for themselves with all the avenues (
honest employment closed to them. Th,
labor that is TO earn their honest breaC
should in some way be shown to them.