New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-12
CHRONOLOGY.
4 DIFFICULT AND mp RTANT STREET.

cR IniIL,,' ny Arihur Macdonald. with an
4l6. Funk q Vaginal, Company.
The author Of This work has prepared himself for
III" study OF criminology 10y investigations which NAV
almo, De- termed exhaustive. BEGINNING with special
course, in IA" University Of Rochester, Princeton and
AndO>cr Theological srminarieS. Union Theological
Seminary Harvard University. JoiiS Hopkins I'm
vrr,y. University 81 Berlin, University II L,ip,Ic.
University Of Paris. Universities Of Zurich and Vienna
and Clark University. Worcester. Mass Il. proceeded
TO visit and examine the principal prlsors and pcn
tcnIiarics in England, France, Belgium GERMANY
switzerland Austria. Italy and the United States. In
order to penetrate far as possible the criminal mind
he had himself locked In the cells Will criminals, and
In cvcrt possible way he sought 10 Investigate IN.
problems presented 10y this difficult and important sub.
Jcct.
Notwithstanding all this preparation and expert
mcnt. however, IL must he sad that Mr.. Macdonald :
book. clear and thoughtful II certainly l., leaves
an Impression Of incIcciNcncss This, however,
In fairness De- ascrilcd 10 the compcxity Of the
problems presented. The dificuca OF dealing with
crime more and more generally recognized the
work OF criminology Is pushed 1t has been during
the last gcneration a really enormous literature
grown up around the subject. /, very srikngly
shown In the extensive photography nhe first OF Its
kind which constitutes all important feature Of This
volume. The general tendency Of this literature,
which represents AN immense amount oi patient and
Intelligent research. l. 10 throw Into strong relief the
main inherent difficulties Of The problem with which
society everywhere Is called upon TO deal. Society In
the first place makes lis own criminals. But. having
made them II Is unable 10 control. much less cure
them. The State cannot discriminate nicely between
the several classes. 1t must act broadly and gen
orally far IS ut present be- seem II may
indeed effect good perhaps by employing The
principal of lndetermnate sentences which the most
experienced pcnoogists have combined In approving.
fine, iudixi mi
Inter ought TO De- dealt with nor would the structure
Of society render II possible 10 carry out such ndl-
ydual reforms.
The criminal as Il rule enters the world Handicapped
by hcrcdity. He Is the scapcgoat who carries the sins
Of past generations. His mental and physical ap'i-
tudcs both impcl him toward crime. II Is In his
blood, and generally 1t is also In the very air he
brcathes All his early associations tend TO famlarize
linn with # all his inherited pr0pensiiies urge him
to adopt IL his vocation. And society can DO no
better for It's own protection than TO lock him up IN
company with some hundreds OF other men whose lives
have been moulded by the same sinister Influences
Mr. Macdonald In this volume reaches the conclusion
that every prison ought 10 be- "A reOrmaory. Well
aud good. Bu first. should not the efficiency OF the
existing rriormatory plans be put beyond question
Do any Of those systems really meet the evils they
are aimed att Do they In actual practice. reform
the criminal II seems TO that this Is the crucial
question and that II should b. settled concusvely be-
fore going any further In experimentation.
Statistics upon this vital point difficult to ma
What percentage OF the criminals who have been
through any OF the modern rcformatory systems con
time 10 be law abiding persons subsequently! How
many OF them return 10 crmel Many. We know,
have done ~ through sheer desperation. bounded by
society. refused honorable employment thrust away
| when they sought H. tracked ana exposed by The
| police. treated lepers wherever they turned. of
course this Is not the fault Of amy rcformatory plan
none the must II lc takeh Into account In esimat-
Ing the prospects OF such systems. II reform ceases
at the prison door, and the freed prisoner l. Instantly
flung back into atmosphere OF temptation made
doubly dang by general suspicion which issues
I'm general Humanity. what can be the prospect for
| real and lasting dmInution OF crime anywhere
Education say many reformers. will do nearly every
thing But here the education which bliRhts and
ruins begins at the cradle. and by the time the CHILD