The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-02-07
Prison Reform.

Prison Reform.
1t is a general Supposition that all re
formers live not in the land which they in
habit, but in Utopia. The imaginary island
of Sir Thomas More with it's admirably ad
justed system of laws. politics aud morals
may have been ''such stuff as dreams are
made of" but it has furnished good many
practical suggestions to men whose genuine
philanthropy leads them to an assault on
the evils of society and the state. Some
thing of the spirit animating the Utopia of
the benevolent old dreamer was observable
i'm the address of Warden Hatch, of Jack
son, Oh prison reform, at the Universalist
church on Sunday evening but there was
much in it to provoke thought among men
who look at the subject only from the
standpoint of dollars and cents. We are
Gischarging from the penal institutions of
our state about 1,5OO convicts yearly. If
their prison life and discipline have done
nothing toward changing their habits OF
thought. their perceptions of right and
wrong and sense of moral obligations. these
men are only turned loose to prey again on
society. They wait only occasion, and this
being at hand nothing but the fear OF detec-
ton and recurrence of punishment deterS
them from the resumption of crime. Their
punishment has built up no safeguard to
society other than the one which exam
pie affords in deterring others from crime.
Society regards all of these discharged con-
victs as of one class. Estate prison birds"
Warden Hatch shows that the inmates Of
q tQn lyo nl,t-
side. The difference is in degree not in
kind. None of those outside are entirely
good, and but few of those inside are en-
tirely bad. We are indebted to him for the
inside view and the correlated suggestion of
the outside one. On each side of the wall
there are types. classes of criminals, with dis
tinguishing proclivites from the desperate
down to the contemplate creature operating
rascality inside of statute.
We shall only notice one of the several
propositions of the Warden for reform. He
would make, and has made, of the prison
at Jackson. an educational institution, not
merely such as may be found in our secular
schools. but a broader one, impressing
moral obligations by discipline and policy
appealing in all instances to whatever Of
good there may be III the prisoners. They
are permitted to make certain rules for
themselves They have IA school. prayer
meetings, literary exercises. and rewards
are given for good conduct. All of these,
of course. are not permitted to interfere
with the regular work of the prison. They
are so interviewer with the life of the insti-
tuition that they promote rather than OBJ
struct the efficiency of labor. The enthus-
aSm of the Warden in his work prOcures for
him the active sympathy of any audience
he may address. Men must respect the
spirit which finds in criminals OStraciZed by
society, qualities to which the mind and
heart may go out with feelings of fellow
ship. The Denevolence which 50 expends
Itself must find material worth it's efforts or
the work would not be continued. ByrOn's
cynicsm that this is damned world" is
shOrn of its force by the thought that the
worst classes are better than society has
conceived of them.-The Grand Rapids
Mich Democrat.