The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-08-30
BETWEEN DES-
TITUTION AND CRIME.

u
J. H. Hyslop in the Charities REVIEW
presents some tables of statistics from
which he combats the prevailing idea
that restitution is the main cause OF
the rapid increase of crime. For IN
stance it appears from the tables OF
pauperism for New York City that
about 70 per cent. of the paupers are
people in the period of declining vitality;
while at the same time the criminal
tables show that only about per cent.
of crime fall in the same period. Again
women furnish nearly nine tenths OF
the paupers and only about one-eighth
of the criminals. These facts, the
writer claims, show that economic con-
ditions are not the main cause OF crime.
The flaw in Mr.. Hyslop's reasoning,
says the Womans Tribune, is that he
does not take into account the fact that
many crimes are committed not because
of poverty, but because Of the rebellion
of strength and vigor against poverty
A hungry man will fight or steal to
satisfy his needs if denied the privilege
of using his strength in legitimate la
Dor. where a person in whom the vital
forces were not so strong might calmly
submit to depending on charity. That
crime thus occurs almost wholly within
what may be called the vital period is a
very encouraging fact. 1t indicates
powerful but misdirected energy which
may. by better systems of education
and changed economic conditions. be-
come a constructive instead of de-
structive force. If the tendency to
crime were greater or even equal during
the period of decreased or lesser vital
ity, with the young, the old, and the
weaker, then indeed would it argue a
hopeless condition of humanity
Preachers might abandon the pulpit
and reformers retire from business, fol
it would be established that crime anc
vice were the natural atmosphere OF
the soul. For our encouragement the
innocence of children and the subsid
ence of turbulent passions in the age(
prove how much more natural is gOo(
than evil. The bow unstrung tends tt
regain its natural rectitude. The pre-
vailing forces which produce crimina
activity during the vital period ar
legitimate and beneficent, only through
ignorant and wrong social condition
they are misapplied.
There is no doubt genuine crimina
class bred and born with moral natur
so degenerated that they are foredoon
ed to crime and the only remedy flo
hem and society is their incarceratio
at the first instance of overt crime. Th
indeterminate sentence, advocated b
prison reformers, could be used to ST
clude these dangerous members c
society during period of vitality c
greatest tendency to crime and tn
multiplication of their species, While
the same time not depriving them {
hope or of the possibility of freedom
it were found that their moral sens
had become more developed under tt
rigid system of training which the Stat
should apply to all its criminals.
Mr.. Hyslop also endeavors to prov
his point from data concerning tt
ratio of crime among married and si
gle. In the New York Penitentiary
per cent. of the cOnvicts are single,
per cent. married, and 6 per cent. wi
overs. Since married persons are mo
handicapped in the struggle for exis
ence than the unmarried Mr.. Hysl(
considers this shows that restitution
not the cause of crime. But this do
not follow. AS rule only the WELT
do, or these with some prospects of su