The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-05-26

position of England in regard to crime" 1t
may be claimed. however. that while the
number of criminals is increasing, the fact
that their sentences are lighter proves that
there is decrease in the total seriousness
of the crimes committed. Nevertheless
such is not the fact, the decrease in the
terms of sentence being directly traceable
to the more modern spirit of the Judges.
who. according to our former authority,
Mr.. Morrison, ''are adopting a more lenient
line of action, and are lnf1icting shorter
sentences after conviction" Indeed, If
am correctly informed, were it not for the
large number of orphan aSylumS erected
within the last ten years in Great Britain,
and the wholesale transportation carried
on by the Government, of the young or
phans to the shores of Canada. England's
prisons would not suffice to meet the de
mands of England's laws.
CRIME IN AMERICA,
it cannot be denied. is also, apparently. on
the increase; but this growth is not to be
wondered at. Some of it Is due to inn
proved methods and greater care taken in
collecting criminal statistics; vast deal, to
that great body of criminals. pushed out of
their native country. into the hulkS of emf.
grant ships. to be dumped on the over bur-
dened shoulders of Brother Jonathan, an
unwelcOme addition to the large number of
their predecessors already supported by
him. And. by the way. is it not signifi
cant fact, that, out of a total of IL. 6S1 for
eign born prisoners in the United States,
product of forty. three different countries.
the United Kingdom of Great Britain fur
nished no less than 7176! It is maintained
by Mr.. Tallack that segregation has de-
creased the criminal population of Great
Britain while that of America is rapidly in
creasing. Would it not be more truthful
to say that England's use of this and other
shores. as dumping grounds. has saved her
the disgrace and danger of an unnatural
multiplication of criminals. and blocked the
way of American prison refOrmers. the
general adoption of whose methods depends
mostly on the success met with in their ef-
forts to decrease the number of their cOun-
try'S criminals?
AS to the other statement that
PRISONERS OF A HARDENED TYPE
are given free intercourse with other pris-
Oners less skilled in crime, such a condition.
it is to be deplored, yet exists in many
American prisons of the old type. But
RefOrmatOries, such as the one at Elmira.
of which England counts as yet none. and
counterparts of which are being erected in
many different States of the Union, provide
for the abOlishment of this evil.
CONSIDERATIONS OF CHARACTER,
principally. enter into the separation of
inmates. Age is an unimpOrtant factor.
Each individual prisoner. on arrival. is in
terviewed by the General Superintendent
and the Physician. His mental and phys
ical ailments are we'll studied and after
wards prescribed for. In the study of his
moral defects; the Management does not
content itself with mere knowledge of his
age and of the crime that led to his commit
ment; his antecedentS. early surroundings.
possible criminality in his family, educa-
tion, associates, former occupation. mental
capability, moral susceptibilities, are all
minutely inquired into and vigorously de.
termined. in order to ascertain the chief
causes of criminality; the question then de-
bated is that of the means to be employed
to effect cure. All the different modes of
treatment available are considered; choice
of one is made. and the individual is as
signed to certain division. In the study
of his physical capacity, if the newly COM
mitted criminal be affected by any bodily
ailment, or his general health be poor, he
WILL in all likelihood. be assigned to the
physical culture class; if sufficiently strong
in body, he will join the military division.
A kindergarten is in force for such who
lack the ordinary mental perception of a
normal being. The bright. but lazy and
shiftless, are often required to perform the
hardest kind of work afforded by the Re-
formatory. that of iron moulding. When,
as happens occasionally. youth is found,
whose guilt was the result of indiscretion or
lack of thought, rather than moral perver-
sity or Indifference, he will be given a
higher education and imbued with more
elevated ideas of duty and moral govern
ment.
A PRINCIPAL FACTOR OF CRIME.
Lack of a handiwOrk is found to be the
cause of the downfall of many; this class
especially are assigned hy the General