Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-07
THEY RARELY REFORM
Criminals When Given Opportunity
Seldom Change Their Course.
HOW THEY MAKE A START.
One Term In Prison Generally Makes an Am
ateur Into . Professional Pickpocket or
Burglar-How They Work in Gangs and
Crowds-A Talk With Detective.


TN SOME STATES THERE ARE LAWS
Il under which persons when first arrested are
given every opportunity in the world to change
their course OF life. While there is no law in
this city which provides for such a course the
suspension Of sentence frequently operates to
the same advantage; that is where q person
pleads guilty or il under conviction he 10 pa.
rolled, or, in other words, he is put under his
own personal bonds not to repeat the offense,
with the understanding that il he should or be
guilty Of any other violation Of law and thereby
indicate that he does not intend to reform he
will again be taken into court and sentenced on
the charge Of which he is under conviction.
There is then no escape for him and he must
60 to prison.
THE EFFECT OF PRISON SENTENCE.
When asked what effect II had on q person to
send him to prison, a detective Of many years
experience said to STAR reporter: 1.-THE usual
erect is to make him better and perhaps an
expert thief, for while in prison he has nothing
to think of except new ideas in his line Of bust
ness and he can concoct new schemes. OF
course in some prisons the inmates have to per-
form labor. and under the rules they are posi-
bly, not permitted to talk, but even so, when
they are released they are generally able to tell
what other prisoners we're in with them and
what were their offenses. When released from
prison they come out as graduates in their
profession ard return to their old habits with
| an idea that they are experts and cannot get
caught, but, OF course, they do get caught and
are returned. Then term after term follows
until they become hardened or what the law
In some states terms 'habitual criminals.'"
Row CRIMINALS MAKE A START
"How does a criminal usually make start?"
the detective was asked.
"He makes his start" responded the detect
I've, "by robbing small stores aud candy shops.
II Is stealing candy or tapping the .ill--just
wh:cL is the easiest 70 do This sort of start
Is made Sya boy sneaking into a store alone
and then sneaking ont again or going in with
some companions, ard after accomplishing
Small boys in this way start OF what afterwgrd
proves to De career of crime, and much Of it
could be prevented by parents who permit
their children to run at large and remain in
the streets at all hours of the day and night.
After al, !" remarked the officer, sit Is a
question Of companions IN the days Of youth.
The first arrest often results in giving youth
full prisoners a chance 70 turn their course and
some Of them do change, while there are many
others who return to the police station in short
while again charged with larceny or some other
cffense akin to it. A work house sentence is
followed by short term in Jail. Time after
time young man appears in the prisoners
dock and as he grows older in years his educa-
ton in crime is advancing with much more
rapid growth until he finally turns up in the
penitentiary full-aedged criminal
EITHER BURGLAR OR PIcKPocKE-.
he 10 either burglar or . pickpocket, and
the one sentence either has q good or bad
effect. In some very rare instances the SEN
fences operate to the good Of the victim, but in
a very large majority of cases they operate In
favor Of making him a better expert in his par
ticular line Of business. I'm short time after
making the start as a criminal the young man
joins gang or mob if he is inclined to pick
pockets, for they always work together. These
gangs as they are called, are usually COM
posed OF four or five persons. Some are known
as stalls and others are known as tools or
wires The man who is selected az victim is
called the mark Tho plumber is called the
'swag.'
"When a mark is selected the STALL who is
usually the heaviest of the crooks. gets him in
position, the wire comes along and gets the
'swag. II the mark discovers that he has
been robbed he naturally suspects the stall on
account OF the position in which he is found
but, of course, II arrested he will not be found
with the swag, because the wire has it or has
turned it over to another pal, who has disap-
peared: The professional pickpockets do most
OF their work in large crowds such as are at
tracted by celebrations, or in any gathering
where there il any large number of people.
Crowded street cars, railroad stations and
county fairs are also favorite places of these
workers.
BURGLARS TAKE MORE CHANCES.
with burglars or housebreakers," he con-
tinued, 'the same rules are observed. This
class Of thieves, al well as those who pick
pockets, travel in gangs, although they take
more desperate chances. Instead of sneaking
their hand into a mans pocket they lay their
plans of robbery in advance and when the job
is completed they usually secure enough to last
for long while. This, however, only applies
to professional bu: glars. because the amateurs
60 on the rule of catch-as-catch-can. and that
is why they are so often caught while in the
house or soon thereafter.
This sort Of crime" concluded the detective.
"always seemed to me as disease. Those who
prefer this mode Of life are not confined TO a
class Of persons who have to steal for a living
and there are among them those who would
not have to work. Many of them have all the
luxuries of life at their command but for some
unknown reason they prefer to steal, and would
rather associate with thieves than live among