Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-01-21
PRISON REFORMS.
Those Now Advocated Are Prevention Of
Crime and Reformation.

Those Now Advocated Are Prevention Of
Crime and Reformation.
Without bringing any charges against
bhe wardens of our prisons or houses of
correction or other public institutions,
It is possi BILE to find grave faults of ad-
ninistrat on in every one of them.
The difficulty lies in the system or
method, rather than with the men who
administer 1T. The troub g is not with
Dne criminal process more than with
mother. EX-President Hayes has for
INFLATED seven prison-reform propo-
yitions, which essentially bring these
evils to the light and point out how
they can be removed. First he attacks
the county jail as disgrace to civili-
Iation, because it allows free inter-
course between criminals, and is open
10 the charge of main tain ng training
schools of crime. The end to be sought
ior is such entire separation in the
county jail that no prisoner shall be
allowed to associate with any other
prisoner. The second point is that wom-
IN shall be confined in separate pris-
,nS under officers of their own sex, and
that women held under arrest or as con-
riots shall have female officers in con-
slant attendance. Another point is
that the habitual criminal shall never
De allowed to go beyond the prison
walls. The fourth point is that the de-
avs of the law in the punishment of
criminals shall be overcome by the in
reduction of better methods for the
certain and speedy execution of judg
L.
Is the abolition in all prisons of vindict-
i've personal punishments. The sixth
point is to in terest organized Christian
effort to aid and care for prisoners after
they are discharged. The final point is
TO work outside the prison for the pre-
Fention of crime and it is sug-
rested that the best way to do
this is to train the young of both sexes
IN industrial pursuits and keep both
body and mind employed in productive
labor. In these propositions, which are
pointed and defin to- and cover life in
the community as we'll as in the prison,
one gets at the root Of the difficulty.
The object is to decrease crime, first by
preventing it and, secondly. by dimin-
.shing the power Of the criminal to prey
apon society and by increasing the
efforts to secure his entire reformation.
Where reform is hopeless perpetual
confinement is the only alternative.
This may seem to some to be
the heroic method and to make the
life of criminals harder than it
has been. 1t is certainly not the
sentimental method of dealing with
convicts, but it remains to be seen
whether the sentimental method does
not do more harm than good. There
are hundreds of people who pity pris-
Dners and would like to pet them as
they do their dogs and cats but this is
not the treatment which they deserve,
and it does nothing toward helping them
to amendment of life. What we want
Is to prevent persons from becoming
criminals, so far as we can, by provid-
ing for the people in the social under
tow the opportunity Of earning an hon
est living and the training by which
they can do this The prisoner needs to
be helped to get out Of jai., but if we are
to help him, it must be in the way of
reforming him, SO that he can be safe
member of society The prison reforms
now advocated are summed up in the
two words prevention and reformation.
The men who are behind the present
movement are some of the most prac-
teal prison reformers and officers in the
whole country, and what is most needed
Is that their aim shall be understood
and that they shall gain the support of
public opinion. Boston Herald