The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-05-15
Stillw ater, Minn., Thursday, May IS, 1890.

his thoughts diverted from criminal chan
nels; he needs to be taught aSpir-
alton; a better hope must be set before him;
the Improbable as we'll as the degrading as
poets Of criminal career must be impressed
upon him; and, above all, he must be quail
fed, if possible, to earn an honest living
when he returns to free life.
All this is suggested not SO much in the
interest of the prisoner as in that of other
people, interest, and mine. We have
a right to demand of the legislature and of
the governor that it shall be done. Who
ever stands in our way is a public enemy.
But it can only be done by dealing with the
prisoner as an individual. We care little
for sytems, except as they require and en-
able the prison warden to make an indvid-
ual diagnosis in the case of each convicted
man, and adapt his treatment to him per-
sOnally-whether in association or out of it
is purely secondary consideration.
At last, then, we come to the most crit
ical moment in every prisoners life,-the
moment of his discharge. If he can be put
upon his feet employed, steadied, protected,
strengthened. until he is able to stand alone,
surely no honest man can do otherwise than
rejoice; and the number of those that can
be helped by such care as friendly visitor
knows how to beStOw is far greater than
many suppose, especially if this same
friendly visitor has manifested an interest
in the convict's family during his incarcera-
tion. 1t is. after all, the prisoners wife
and children who bear the brunt of the pen
atty imposed upon him.
have consumed so much time that 1
cannot undertake adequately to discuss an.
other branch of your work.-the investiga-
ton of the causes of crime. 1t may not be
possible to put stop to the operation of
these causes; but individuals. especially the
young of both sexes, may be rescued from
their influence by timely interference on
their behalf. The prOXimate causes of
crime are not its ultimate causes; and too
exclusive attention to those leads US to neg
lect these. which are certainly not of infe-
riOr moment. The causes of crime in the IN
dividual are to be sought. first. in his con-
stitutiOn. physical. mental, and moral; Sec
Ond in his antecedents; and. third. in his
surroundings. His antecedents cannot be
altered. but his personal constitution may
be modified, and his surroundings revolu-
tiOnized. His environment, like his ante
cedentS, may be near or remote; and, in the
last analysis, the remark is certainly true
that society prepares the crimes which Indi-
viduals commit.
A prison association must, then, be in a
certain sense social science association.
1t concerns itself with the anatomy and
physiology of human society, in order that
it may know it pathOlOgically, in the hope
of finding and applying the remedy for So
cial evils 1t brings every social phenOme-
non to this one test: What is it's influence in
promoting or diminishing crime? 1t traces
them through all their ramificatiOnS. and
finally settles down to the conviction that
the work of prevention of crime is more i'm
portant and more fruitful of good results
than it's punishment. 1t breaches. in sea-
son and out of it: Begin with the boy and
the girl; give the child proper home: teach
him to work and to save; practice him in
self-cOntrOl; imbue his mind with sense of
his personal responsibility to God and man;
find him honorable and remunerative en-
plOyment. l was delighted to hear the
judge of the Court of Special Sessions in
the city of New York say. the other day,
that he never passes sentence on a child
without first referring the case to the SOci-
ETY. of Prevention of Cruelty to Children to
investigate: and this not because the law
requires this action on his part. but because
he has confidence in the thoroughness and
competence of the agents of that society.
That is prison society. but under another
name, and there are many others.
1 congratulate the city of Boston and the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on the Or
ganization of this association. 1t will do a
great and good work. Sustain it. And. to
the members of the society, say. in clos
ing: Do not be discouraged by the diff
culties in your way. Whatever they may
prove to be. you will overcome them. if
you persevere.