The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-09-26
Is Crime PreVentable?
it not?

Is Crime PreVeMtable?
Why do men persist in leading criminal
life after they have gone through the Bit
ter experience of one. two, three or more
terms of Imprisonment? Do they find that
it pays? Hardly; and the life is certainly
not pleasant or attractive one. PenolO-
gists and other eminent men have strOve to
solve the former question. and though they
have reached many plausible deductions
from scientific and metaphysical stand
point. they are compelled to admit that so
far the question has been puzzle to them
Scientific analysing of this question will
not solve it; science can no more control or
account for some of the freakish outward
actions of the human family than it can
govern the fashions and fads of the day.
The claims of many penOlogists that crime
is disease. and hereditary, is theory
that is lacking of any definite proof to
either confirm or deny it. Giving us one
or two isolated examples is showing the
exception. but not in such manner as to
prove either rule. Allowing for argument
that crime is disease, is it durable or in
durable one? Experience tells us that in
nearly every case it is durable. Then, why
are 50 many fostering sores allowed to
vitiale the atmosphere of honesty? Why
are 50 many plumbers made in the treat
ment of this disease? 1t is not new
malady; experiments have been made in
its treatment for centuries past; but it is
only III the latter part OF this nineteenth
century that we are making attempts to
find certain remedy for it. But another
step must yet be- taken. 1t is a splendid
idea to cure men OF crimnality. but it is still
more necessary to prevent crime. Crime
can and must be prevented. An ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of cure"
is peculiarly applicable to this malady.
We must innOculate the youth of the
country against crime. The trouble is that
| heretofore we have been too strictly Scen-
titic; we awaited for violent disclosure of
the disease before making any decisive at
tempt to stay its dread approach; we
looked at it merely as an every day bust
Hess transaction. and felt that we had COM
pleted all obligations to ourselves and our
fellows when we had gone through the
routine of sending the afflicted one to the
state hospital for such cases.
| If we saw a man walking along in dark
place. and we knew that in his path lay
dangerous trench. would it be our duty to
warn him of his danger and thus prevent
an injury or to watch him fall and then
help to carry him to hospital? Our duty
| would be plain in such case. and it is in
like manner that the commonwealth must
treat what we are pleased to call the ''crim-
inal class" DO not wait until men have
| received dangerous njury-Or have com
United one If we see that they are in
danger we should give them a wholesome
warning. If boy is arrested for light
Offellse do not send him to the contagious
wards of the state hospital: slight injury
can be treated and cured without placing
the victim where he is liable to contract a
greater malady.
Prevent the cause and you destroy the
effect We know too we'll what the usual
effect of crime is: but very few are ac-
quainted with. or give moments thought
to. that which leads to crime in the first
place. Whisky is given first place as the
prompter of the great majority OF crimes.
But whisky cannot fairly be charged with
making the many very young criminals we
hear of. The cause of their downfall is
solely attributable to ignorance-n0t litter
acy-but ignorance of the simplest truths OF
real life that is known to the average boy.
Their parents, through neglect or inability,