The mirror., 1895-10-24
Prison Sunday.

In0 MdSSdCnuS0CCS ITlSOu ASSOCld-
tion has issued the following appeal
for the observance of Prison Sunday:
The increasing interest in social prob
lens is one of the most encouraging
signs OF the times. The study of these
problems has brought many to see that
to ignore the presence of poverty and
pauperism only adds to the burdens of
the community; that the dependent
classes must be treated upon scientific
principles, and that any other treat
ment results in waste of time, money
and effort.
But crime has received far less at
tention than pauperism. Compare
lively few know, definitely, the magni
tude of the evil, the sources and causes
of crime; the present methods of deal
ing with the criminal; the improve
ments which have been made in prison
methods: the defects of the existing
system; the remedies for these defects;
the experiments in this country and
elsewhere, and their results 1t is diff
ficult to arouse intelligent interest re-
garding those who have violated the
laws of the state. Few do anything to
prevent the beginners in crime from
becoming habitual offenders. The pro-
baton system has far too little support
from the people. Improved methods
of dealing with the criminal in prison
are secured only with the greatest
difficulty, and when the convict is
discharged, no matter how sincere his
repentance or how earnest his good
purposes, there are few to believe in his
reformation, to encourage him in keep
ing his resolutions, or to render him
the pecuniary assistance needed to en-
able him to resume his place as good
citizen.
If there were only few criminals,
this general indifference would be a
less serious matter. But there are
nearly 100000 arrests for crime, annu-
ally in Massachusetts,, and more than
$4,000 commitments to the prisons. On
the first of October 1895, there were
1910 in confinement in our penal insti-
tutions. Discharged convicts are re-
turning from prison to the community
at the rate of nearly hundred every
week day, from one years end to an
!, other. The cost of crime to the tax
, payer is enormous. The expense OF
supporting the prisons is more than
: $9OOOOO year. The cost of the police
and courts is more than $2,OOO,OOO.
To this there must be added the cost
of the pauperism growing out of crime
= the expense of caring for the fam
5 lilies of criminals. and for the criminals
themselves, when, having lived ou
t their brief lives as lawbreakers. the!
: become dependent upon public or pri
vate charity.
q A subject of such magnitude shoult
= have more general and more intelli
/ gent consideration. The demand 70
s the scientific treatment of crime is al
s urgent one. The sources and cause
l. of crime should be carefully studied
|. The means of preventing crime SHOULD
O be better understood and more gener
q ally used. Prison methods which hav
+ as their aim the reformation of tn
|. criminal should be adopted and apple
d whenever and wherever the state ha
e one in custody. No man should b
on To rnfr fn (ann m n n
# until there is reason to believe that b
e. will obey the laws and is fitted to ear
e. an honest living. The communit
1T should see that no discharged convi(
d shall be tempted to return to life {
( crime by lack of encouraging words, {
,e of employment, or of the pecuniary a
to sistance necessary to relieve the nece
t. sites of the period Immediately fo
II. lowing his release.
These things will never come unit
g, the people understand the subjec
~ The churches have special opportun
er ties for imparting information an
arousing interest. Several years ae
a those who saw the need of bett'
,ir methods, and of more intelligen
III sentiment, asked that the fourth SUI
e. day in October be set apart each year
er ''Prison Sunday" and that clergyme
er would bring the subject to the atte
Is ton of those to whom they ministe
a. The observance Of the day has not bet
,e- as general as it should have been, b
N. much good has been done. The Mass
he chusetts Prison Association urg
the churches of Massachusetts to jo
de with those of other states in the o
er servance of the fourth Sunday OF tt
,se month October ~ as Prison Sunda
.c- and hopes that every congregati'