The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-15
Prisoner Reform.

Prisoner Reform.
The subjoined questions were sent by the
Boston Herald to several gentlemen inter-
ested in the work of the reformation Of
criminals:
What are the elements or factors which enter
into the reformation of criminals?
Is the reformation of criminals dependent upon
religion?
And if SO, to what extent?
The following is the reply made by
Gardiner Tufts, the Superintendent of the
Massachusetts, Reformatory:
An answer to the first question, ''What
are the elements or factors which enter into
the reformation OF criminals?" must relate
to the criminals own action in reformation,
and to the action of other Nersons for his
reformation. Not without considerable
elaboration and space can we separate the
statements we shall make concerning the
action by, and the action for, tho criminal
In the work of reformation, and therefore
we shall let them run together; besides some
OF the statements include both that which
belongs to the criminal and that which re-
lates to other persons. The elements which
enter into reformation are: Good treatment;
fair dealing; the criminals recognition of
his own criminality; his desire for reform;
his willingness to be reformed; recOgni-
ton of criminals as fellow beings; a recOg.
milton of criminality as human eraility; a
belief that criminals are refOrmable-that
they can amend their lives as other people
amend their lives; a perception that crimi.
nails are to be reformed as any other persons
are reformed; perception that all crimi-
nality is the same in essence and centre; a
recognition of the fact that crime is Offense
against human law; recognition of the
fact that criminals generally are more weak
than wicked; perception that criminals are
deficient in goodness rather than excessive
in wickedness; power of will; habit of in
dustry: knowledge, industrial, mental.
moral and spiritual; the overture Of the gOs-
pei; new life; time; the indetermlnate
sentence.
The second question-''Is the reformation
of criminals dependent upon religiOn?"-
will admit of two answers. The criminal
of this discussion is an offender against hu-
man law. If only that, he may cease from
such offending; he may become reconciled
to such law; he may reform in the partic-
ular of his Offense against human law, in
dependent of religion. Men may cease to
do evil and learn to do well, in limited
ways, without religious motives therefor,
but the limits of such reform are narrow.
When persons are criminal in the
thoughts and intents of their hearts, their
hearts need to be changed in order to make
their lives right When the turpitude OF
individuals is greater than the iniquity OF
their particular criminal acts (which is gen.
orally the case), then is their reformation
dependent upon religOn-fOr thOrOughness.
completeness and permanency. Religion is
reform in entirety; and reform is the means
of attaining and maintaining religious life.
The work of religion is to overcome what
ever there may be of personal evil within
the individual. and also, his tendency tC
evil; to reform thoughts and habits, conduct
and life.
Upon two commandments hang all the
law and the prophets. The first: 'Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart. and with all thy soul. and with al
thy mind" And the second is like unto it.
''ThOu shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Complete and sure reform is dependent
upon the religion Of these commandments