The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-05-07

The Reformation of Criminals.

The Reformation of Criminals.
| Since that accomplished mOralist, SanchO
Panza. was quite right in saying that every
one was as God made him and Oftentimes a
great deal worse. it is natural to inquire
whether there is remedy for glaring ex-
amples Of the latter condition of mankind.
The committee on prison labor and prison
discipline, appointed by the last Illinois
Legislature in obedience to this impulse,
has made report which recommends that
the penitentiaries of the state be trans
formed as far as possible into reformatories
for criminals instead of remaining mere in.
StitutiOns for the punishment of crimes.
That is its remedy for the unfortunate con.
ditiOn which honest SanchO has pointed out.
Penal Institutions, as commonly con-
Quoted, serve as stern warning to the i'm
INJURED criminals to be more circumspect in
their SHINING henceforth. 1t is question
whether this lesson is salutary or otherwise
when viewed either from the side of the
criminal or from that of society. Though
the results of the system have been far from
satisfactory, the public clings to it with
strange tenacity. Confinement within stone
walls for certain periods. joined with hard
work and curious regulations regarding
striped clothing and Shaven heads, makes
up the regimen now relied on to prevent
crime The measure of success attained by
the method appears from the crowded con-
dition of the prisons themselves.
The state has no desire to wreak revenge
on the individual. The only possible ex-
cuse for depriving criminals of their liberty.
attiring them in bizarre costumes and put
ting them at hard labor. is the necessity of
preventing them and others from committing
further criminal acts. But when the re-
leased criminal sees a chance to commit
crime under circumstances rendering detec-
ton impossible or highly improbable, the
lesson taught by the term in prison amounts
to nothing. Better to make an honest man
of him when that is possible than to pun
ish him with rigid severity and turn him
loose to do more shining.
Under the system in vogue in the Elmira
Reformatory, in the State of New York.
the time of the prisoners release depends
on his own good conduct. The courts
merely say who shall be confined there.
leaving it to the prison authorities to decide
when each prisoner shall be released. Hav-
ing won his freedom by good conduct. the
liberated convict forfeits that freedom when
ever he turns aside from honest courses.
D
committee recommends for adoption in Illi-
noiS.
But if the reformed prisoner is to be re.
leased with little or no regard to the length
of time he has been in prison or the enOr-
nifty of his crime, it follows naturally that
the criminal whose reformation is impOSSi-
BILE should remain in confinement indefi-
nitely. If it is an assured thing that he
will make war on society at his first oppor-
tunity. the welfare of society requires that
he be given no such opportunity. His
criminal acts will be supplemented by the
crimes of others who, but for his example.
would not have broken the laws. Being
wholly unfit to associate with mankind he
has no right to his liberty.
There are other questions relating to
criminal life which deserve serious atten-
tiOn. Many of these are discussed with
care by Mr.. G. ii. Reeve in book recently
published on 1.-The Prison Question" Mr..
Reeve takes the ground that the state does
wrong to permit individuals who are NOR
ally, mentally or physically deformed. to
add to the burdens of society by becoming
parents and thus perpetuating their defects.
He would have the good of the race cOnSid-
cred in dealing with all such persons. His
investigation shows that the increase of
crime. insanity and pauperism as the direct
result of immigration is startingly rapid,
and that the lax methods of dealing with
these evils, which spread with hideOus con-
tagion. are responsible for much wrong and
suffering. Thus far the public has shown
practically no interest in these grave mat
ters. The results of its indifference are de-
plorable and worse results are to follow
America.
One Thing Lacking.