Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-01
Philan.hropists arsnowadays apt tolose sigh

Philanthropists arenowadays apt tolose sigh
Of one Of the two objects Of punishment The!
forget thai fear as deterrent is quite as much
- element as reform Formerly there was Al
Subordinate tendency to depress the reform
element and rely almost altogether on fear Il
prevent the commission OF crime. The presen
inclination is to convert punishment int
reforma ton by the same means that are used il
slevating classes not criminal The Who'll,
subject is reviewed in the newspapers ant
periodicals with more or less ability. Like Sit
Walter Scott, Mr.. W. p. Andrews, who con
tributes an article on the subject to the April
Forum, does not see the propriety Of making
prisons dandy places Of detention" and pre-
ssnts practical view Of reformatory prisons al
schools Of crime. The writer is and has been
FOR . long time clerk Of the criminal court al
Salem, Massachusetts,. Commenting the real
reforms introduced by Massachusetts, in her
prison system he produces the evidence Of
prisoners themselves to show that the sum
total Of the reforms has been unfavorable.
A convict at Elmira, writing for the prison
paper, contrasts the abject condition OF
the virtuous poor seen from his window
with the savory dinner and agreeable
evening entertainment awaiting him, and asks
y
ness proitable2" An English traveller, after
careful observation on the spot, describes the
average prison in the northern states as "a
little paradise. where all the prisoners earthly
wants are anticipated This leniency to the
vasrant and vicious which is positively cruel to
the honest and industrious community does
not characterize the English system. The
great humane work of John Howard accom-
plished, the practical English pause and con-
slider the right ends of punishment. The
prisoner 10 not coddled and feted, does not
receive the rich rewards for a criminal life
withheld by stress of circumstances from many
who lead yiryuous lives of stern endeavor.
This system in the United States has not
diminished the volume of crime On the con-
trary the effect of the feting and coddling of
convicts has been as follows: The annual report
of the Massachusetts, attorney general shows
between the years 1887 and 1880 an increase of
convictions of g. $50 per cent while the popula-
ton increased 800 per cent One of the great
evils Of the rose water system is the association
Of criminals encouraged by 1.-THE younger
and less vicious with the adopts in crime
and vice. The system, too, encourages
hypocrisy. To the chaplain contrite profess
sions Of repentance and reform are made while
the evidences of good conduct are only accu-
INFLATED to secure q release from confinement
and the opportunity to commit further crimes.
'.As lay in my bunk at night. Bill. wrote one
Of these adopts. II often think of the bully
times we had up to old Uncle Tufts hotel (the
Massachusetts, reformatorv) and the gay larks
We had there at the y. VI. C. A. meetings, put
ting our heads together and getting up the
high old raekets We have had since" This is
not quoted to show that the Y. NJ C. A and
other benevolent societies should not do every
thing possible for the reform of the criminal
class, whether in or out of prison. The line be-
tween duty to criminals az fallen creatures and
duty to society upon which the criminals prey
ought to be sufficiently distinct to keep the
great objects of all human punishment fully
in view.