Telegram-herald., 1891-04-27
TUPPER ONPENOLOCY
The EloQusnt Unitarian Woman
Preacher
ADVOCATES MORAL REFORMATION
Of conviets-shs shows the Gn5sstfee al
Resributive or .Iit-for-Tat" Sentences
-Absard Msthod of Warden
Appointments.

Mia F. Tupper. At the Unitarian
Church. last evening, spoke upon tie
subject. 1.-The Need of Reform in the
Treatment Of Criminals" She said:
Perhaps you think that l intend 70
say that We should lavish more bou-
quets upon murderers behind the haFs.
Not 90. Yet considering the barrier
which in our social system prevails hs-
tween what We call respectable society
and those who have transgressed the
law. lt il time that We looked At crrlnR
ones with moro OF the spirit OF Jesus,
who said: Let him who is without IN
cast the first stone.' Seif-protecti0n -
the only possible excuse which We have
for the punishment OF criminals. We
cannot say. however, You have hurt
society, therefore society must hurt
you.' Ii il n hard matter TO say that .
certain amount Of time is due q certain
otfense. Ii is surprising what differ
ence there isin the sentences gwen the
same otfense. One gets two years and
another year. Ii is absurd TO con-
slider retribution as the key note Of legal
punishment. A reform is needed
IN our usage IN law and
Retributivs Punishmeat is Vain.
Society. Pedagogical statistics show
that petty larceny was as common url-
der the penalty of losing . hand as
under our laws. Retributive punis!l-
ment is vain. Prisons should be mora
hospitals for the cure of moral disease
They should he under the care of exr
perts IN the study. These moral doc
tors should give an individual diagnosis
for each individual case. The patlert
should not be released from treatmer&
until cured. Now, how should this de.
slrable end he reached. What thrill
OF horror passes over US as We consider
the picture of vengefnl punishmen3
given Jean Valyear in Hugo's "LeS
Miserables." What q striking picture
of contrast is presented as he undergoce
moral treatment at the hands of the
good old bishop. The sneaker spoke OF
the character of the policeman Javert
as "dehumanized law" who knew no
mercy anu only understood thc
idea of retribution. 'Such de-
humanized law will only make
criminals. Some way should be found
to lessen the number of arrests. At
least one-third of those arrested in CHI
cayo are released innocent Out of the
33, 900 only eighty-seven last year COM
mitted serious crimes. The others were
guilty of petty crimes, vagrancy,
drunkenness. How does that method
Fines Favor tho Rich.
None were corrected and should have
less fear In committing future offenses.
The system of fines bears the 'tstfor-
tat idea and fayors the rich above the
poor. Maryland has way of prevent
ing the free system OF arrests. Ths
number of arrests were reduced nearly
ono-haif. The pride of officials should
be of arresting few rather than many.
In Massachusetts, they have probation
officers to keep first offenders from
public disgrace. This is superior to the
deferred sentence as they are not
given the disgrace of the Jail exper-
fence. This covers an enormous per-
centage Of the number arrested. The
system has reduced the number of con-
victs to 0ne-fourth. The law is justified
only to act for the well-being of society.
and not IN seeking revenge. The pro-
baton agents report:showed only fifty
two out Of 1000 who did not profit by
their term of probation and were ar
rest ed in defense of society. The sys-
tenn has been in vogue for over ten
years with remarkably good results.
The plan may be liable to abuse but not
half as much 90 as the two-minute trial
plan in Justices courte. The only pro-
lection prisons can give to society is in
the reformation Of the prisoners. The
appointment of wardens should be en-
tlrely removed from tho clutch of pol
itics. They should be expcrts."
Absurd system Of Making wardens.
The speaker referred 10 Warden Hatch
as an expert pcnologist not knowing
thst Warden Davis had replaced him.
at is a. absurd to appoint wardens by
the present method asSit would be TO
appoint the heads of lunatic asylums in
the same3way. The indetermiuate SEN
tence which provides limit of sentence
and release sooner if moral reformstion
be complete, is in use and is needed
and useful change. The limit should
rot even be placed. These are not
merely ideal views but are in
whole or partial use in several
places with remarkable results
A careful record by Prof. Sanborn of
the Elmira Reformatory. y. Y, shows
that 80 per cent. of those discharged
have become useful and Iaw-abiding
citizens. Even after the prisoners re-
lease they are under Official probation.
In almost sll cases criminals are made
by environment n nd the change of Cir
cumstances, education. etc, etc, work
astonishing reforms. There are. of
course, incurable criminals "a there are
people affected with incura5le physical
diseases, but they arc very few. In re-
gard to the plan of having furniture
factory at Ionis, the speaker said that
the prisoner should not be made mere
Incorporating machine for the State.
Ills reform should be first, and other
ideas merely incidental.