The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-05-10

SALTWATER, MINNESOTA, MAY TO- 1894

views the best methods of dealing with
those whom society has condemned to
seclusion in prisons. It is an excellent
thing and great good has undoubtedly
been accomplished by it. Many abuses
which formerly existed in the prisons
of the country have been cured in
whole or in part. There has been great
improvement in prison discipline. The
doubt is occasionally expressed indeed,
whether the condition of the criminal
in prison has not been to much amelio-
rated and the penitentiary or reform
atory made toe attractive; but there
need be no great uneasiness on this
score. While there is occasionally too
much laxity-as there was not long
since in our Michigan prison at Jack
son-the stories that come from such
prisons as that at Elmira of brutal
treatment for inmates, show that the
position Of convict is not on the
whole so tempting as to be an incentive
to the commission of crime for the
mere purpose of getting free shelter
and board, with holidays and occasional
feasts.
The really noticeable thing about all
this study of penology, and practice of
the methods which study shows to be
wise is that it is not accompanied, in
this country at least, with any persist
ent or systematic effort in the direction
ofprevention. In way the penologists
all claim to be students of prevention;
and in way they are. Regarding crime
as disease they are trying to make
their prison methods curative instead
of merely punitive. This is we'll as far
as it goes. 1t is certainly a good thing
when a mans tranSgressiOnS, whether
the result of disease or not, have
brought him to prison, that he should
be so treated therein as to restore him
if possible, at the expiration of his term,
either cured of the disease called GRIM
inality, or at the very least strength
ened to resist the temptation to violate
the laws of the community in which he
lives. But how much better would it
be if a portion of the study directed to
this end were directed to curing or
strengthening the sick or weak indi-
vidual before he becomes an actual
criminal. How much better it would
be, in short, to prevent the first offense
instead of the second or subsequent
ones.
In theory at least-and to consider
able extent in practice Howard
Association of Great Britain is an i'm
provement on the penological societies.
, 1t was instituted (under the patronage
, of the late Lord Brougham) not only
for the promotion of the best methods
| of treating criminals and paupers, but
, the best methods of preventing crime
, and pauperism. It has no large endow-
ment, in point of fact it has nothing
7 that deserves to be called an endow'
ment, being dependent for its support
on voluntary contribution; but it has
, done more with less money than any
g other philanthropic association in the
f world. By arousing and molding pub
: lie opinion, it has reformed the grossest
t of the abuses which prevailed so Ions
Y in the prisons of Great Britain; and il
\ has done a grander and nobler work il
s encouraging and uplifting the veal
f and vicious and saving them from pau
), perism and crime.
s One point to which this association
e is devoting special attention is the nee(
q for greater circumspection on the par
e of parents. In recent lecture befor
n the London institute the secretary, MI
William Tallack, expressed the opinion
that a vast amount of juvenile Grim
would be prevented effectually an
cheaply if the parents of the childre
'e who bring up in the reformatories an
prisons were held to more rigid re
sponsibility for the acts of their OF
of spring. Many of these parents, he df
or clared, are grossly culpable and sheul
re be forced to pay or be imprisoned fe
I'd their neglect of duty toward their OF
O. spring. In illustrating his point
or said: "In the last century boy name
is John Scott was charged with trespa
OF sing and stealing apples. The magl