The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-05-23
Evils of Reform Schools.

As II mas Deen asserted tnat the MISSION OF III L,
MIRROR is to reflect the thoughts of the in
mates upon those beyond the walls. l desire
through its columns to name method by which
the decrease of crime be accomplished.
In the first place let tho of society who are in
terested in the reformation of the criminal class.
institute such measures in the manage nent of our
reformaories and houses of refuge will effectu-
ally prevent all communication between the young
criminals and orphans. By so doing they will have
removed one of the chief causes of crime.
The evil arising from the association of the two
classes is much greater than many suppose. 1t is
evil that not only makes the young criminal
worse then he was prior to his imprisonment but
sinks many of the innocent into vice that becomes
so memorable as the years of maturity advance
that they will not hesitate to take human life
should it attempt to thwart them in the perpe-
tratiOn of crime TO some the question will
arise how does the comm ngling of the two classes
have such injurious results! 1t happens in this
wise.
During the hours of recreation (Which are
many the or .mlnal class-who are "A rule the
Oldest Of the two, many Of them being sent to
these institutions because they were of such an
age as to bearly exempt them from the sterner
discipline of IA penitentary-assemble in the
ydTu tuelT SulleSS dSSOcldteS. ana recount
their CT minal experience in such a glowing and
impressive manner as to absorb the undivided at.
tention of their innocent and inexperienced hear
ers, who look upon their deeds of crime as the
highest marks of greatness to which any one
within the walls of the institution can aspire
Now, as 1 said before, the evil emanating from
this unrestrained communication between the two
classes is twofold. In the first place. the awe and
sdm m which no
the criminal class tends to make the latter believe
that they great personages, and as a result
nine out of every ten of them leave the institu-
ton more crim;nally inclined than they were when
they entered. On the other hand. these stories of
criminal exploits often repeated by the young
criminals. most invariably results in removing
any moral. intellectual. spiritual effect which
may have been produced by the management dur
ing the hours of instruction, and as consequence
they imbibe the desire of becoming emulatOrs of
their crime-stained assoc: ates, when the time
comes for them to 60 out into the great world
While some few withstand the evil influences
which is constantly brought to bear upon them by
their evil-dispOsed companions. and come forth
into the world morally, physically and intellectual
ly benefited by their incarceration, how many
oh! how many. emerge stepped in vice that
they cannot discard it this side of the grave-a
premature grave. Whether this terrible evil is
due to the ignorance or negligence of the manage
ment of those institutions, l can't definitely say;
but that it exists in q will not say alb many of
them, can be proven any day in the week upon
close examination of the manner in which their
inmates spend their time.
In order to more vividly portray this evil which
springs from the constant commingIing o. these
two classes will give an illustration my own
experience. At the age of seven 1 was left an
orphan. My parents being Catholics. l, of course,
was placed in Catholic Or phan asylum. where l
remained but six months. having run away at the
expiration of that time. 1 then became news.
boy. While fOllwing this pursuit formed bad as.
sociations, and in very short time was arrested
in connection with another, upon a charge of
theft, for which were both sent to a house of
refuge, where l stayed little over six months. I
succeeded in making my escape, and took with
me greater knowledge of crime than possessed
when went there
OF the thirty or more acquaintance formed in
the latter institution will venture to say there is
not one to-day but what has either been shot
down in the very act of committing crime. or is
serving long sentence in some of the various
penltentiaries OF our land. Whereas of the same
number of acquaintance formed BY me in the
former institution think l can say without exac.
Peration. there is not solitary one but who ia
hling an honorable position to-day, as business
man. skilled mechanic or farmer How is this
terrible contrast in the characters Of the respec