Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-09-28
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REFORM OF CRIMINALS.
The Subject Discussed by the District At
torney for Kin $ County, n. Y.

The Subject Discussed by the District At
torney for Kin County, n. Y.
From my experience l should say
that many criminals have been re-
formed, and for this reason: Ii you
convict thousand people in year, IN
ten years the convictions would aggre-
gate ten thousand; you will not have
ten per cent. of those people come back
to you, so that they either cease to
commit crimes or they go to some
other part of the country. think
great many people who are arrested,
and Justly convicted OF crime feel, al
ter they get to prison. that they have
done wrong. that there Is something
else to live for and to work for, and
thew become better men when they
come out.
Society does not always treat the
criminal right. When man comes
out of prison and shows a disposition
to do right, if society would take hold
of him, try and do something for him,
encourage him and not constantly show
that it is suspicious of him because he
once went wrong, there would be more
criminals reformed than there are at
present. When a man comes from
prison and is constantly reminded OF
the fact that he was once convicted OF
crime and served term in prison, he
becomes discouraged and there's moth
inc left for him to do but to find cOnso-
lation in the society of the law-break-
ing classes.
| approve of long terms of imprison-
ment for incorrigible offenders; l do
not think long sentences reform the
men, but society can only protect itself
against such offenders by locking them
up.
Many criminals can be reformed; but
the reformation depends on the man
himself. A great many people can not
make any distinction between right
and wrong; when they do wrong they
DO not feel that they are breaking
moral law; they feel that there is some
punishment, but they do not think that
they have done wrong. You can never
10 any thing toward reforming such
person. Take a man whose early
teachings and surroundings have been
good; he yields to temptation and does
wrong; any punishment, no matter
how small, is severe to him and the
disgrace he feels is poignant. Such
man, think, can be reformed.
l do not believe very much in the
conversions" made in prison. When
an offender leaves prison after having
experienced religion in prison, gets
nell of the fresh air, takes a few
drinks and meets some of his old
cronies, the reaction is too much for
him. The efforts of religious and
philanthropic persons in and out of
arison certainly do no harm, and they
may do some good.
The question as to how the criminal
can be reformed is very difficult one
to answer. A man may come out OF
prison who might, by acts of kindness
and the assistance of honest people be
kept straight. But the trouble is, So
CI6Gy uOCSl AlhO W CobAO AAOAN "a "a Ai4AA
nails; a man doesn't want to invite
them to his residence, and merchant
doesn't feel like employing an ex-con-
vict in his cOunting-house, because the
clerks there would not feel like asso-
ciating with him. l believe that So
ciety ought to be more lenient and
liberal toward the criminal; that is the
only way of accomplishing any thing
for him.-James w. Ridgeway, in n.
Y. Independent.