The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-11-27
A CRYING NEED.

A Prominent Man Touring the South
I'm the Interest OF State Reforma-
tories for Young Criminals.
Last week Mr.. C. s. Griffith, presi-
dent of the Maryland Prisoners Aid
Association and a member of several
other philanthropic societies, psyed
Columbia visit. He is senior mem
& Co., importers and dealers in carpets
and upholstery and for fifty years has
been voluntary worker fer prison re-
form. During this period he has
given freely of his time and money.
Mr.. Griffith's visit to Columbia is
due to prearranged plan of making a
tour of the Southern States for the
purpose of inspecting their penal in
stitutions and urging certain reforms.
He visited the penitentiary and ad
dressed the prisoners. He seemed i'm
pressed with the need of a State re
formatory. In the penitentiary, he
said, were 100 Negroes from 10 to Is
years old, and twenty-five whites be-
tween those ages. He did not think it
right to contine tn. m with older and
hardened criminals, and while there ho
called on the Governor and influential
citizens and tried to impress upon
them the necessity of establishing a
reformatory. The following from the
Baltimore American gives the motive
Of his tour:
81 intend Investigating the prison
Mr.. Griffith. especially the lease and
l. <>f 80 I,l, 1,ok
influences are used to reform the pris-
oners, and the results. / am also very
much interested in the work among the
young to prevent crime, aud as Presi-
dent OF the Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty and immortality Among
Children, will endeavor to urge the or
ganization of similar societies in those
States.
"My experience has convinced me
that there are four necessary factors
for the reformation of crimlnal-labor,
education, physical strength and relig-
ion-and these cannot be properly de-
veloped in camp life.
Labor as rCfct M measure must be
of usual kind, 10 teach the prisoners
the proper means of self-support after
discharge, and ut tho same time make
him support himself while in prison.
This is best done in penitentiary
which is under carful supervision.
Education is one of the main fac
tors of reformation; neglected youth is
the greatest cause of crime. In n Grim
inal camp it is impossible to give that
careful training as we'll as in perma-
nent prison with it's facilities of library,
teachers and ministers of the gospel.
"Thc physical strength of a prisoner
is necessary to his mental improve
mcnt. A weak, abused physical con-
dition cannot be but antagonistic to an
improved mental condition.
Religious training cannot have any
great effect on criminals leased out, in
dnmps, with their pernicious environ
hents. While surrounded with such
influences. they will not realize the all
comforting power of religion, but be-
come more hardened and nntagonistic
to society.
"The proper prison buildings. the
careful management aud treatment of
criminals, facilities for teaching them
how to work, with conscientious, re-
ligious and secular education, have
hokO ia viz VI
criminals and the prevention of crime
than all the punishmcnts ever devised.
"The education and protection Of
children from the ignorant and dissi-
pated classes is study worthy all
Christians. The children OF today are
the future depraved or respected citi,
zens. They will either become a
manace and expense to society from
neglect, or supporter of the laws and
protection to the community through
training.
Prevention has been held rs subsid-
inry to repression; but, instead of be-
ing n mere secondary aid, should be
considered the primary defensive func-
tion of society, and should begin with
the original sources of crime, both
physical and social.
CAN prisons should be considered
more as schools to reform than as places
of punishment. and then, instead Of
being places to learn more vicious
habits, they would become teachers of
habits of useful industry, physical
training and moral improvement and
cause great reduction of the criminal
classes"
STRANGIED BY HER LOVER.