The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-16

drunkenness and l~icentiousness. with
their train OF degradation and disease,
may be prevented when public senti-
ment Is resolute enough. lind enough.
to sustain laws and institutions for
more effective restraint and recovery
OF misdemeanant criminals. More
thorough treatment of this class OF Of
tenders would serve. no doubt. to in
crease for "a time the resident popula-
ton Of the prison, a fact that would be
heralded as discreditable, but In reality
not so. Not idle courts and empty pris-
ons. but rather prompt arrests. quick
convictions and full prisons show the
reaction of society gains crime and
show also a good moral tone, a
healthy public sentiment. The more
civilized we become the more laws
against crimes We have: the more laws
the more Of recorded crimes. and IL il
undoubtedly true hat the criminal. as
well as the poor. Shall never cease out
Of the land
with the increase Of population and
advancing civilization human wants
and perhaps human needs, are greatly
multiplied. and there Is also an ever
increasing dificulty. because of compe-
titions. to provide the means OF living.
Then the deprivation and designations Of
the improvident class produce degen-
eracy transmitted to generation after
generation and more and more of the
people become disqualified as well as
disinclined to satisfy their wants by
legitimate earnings. The provident,
wealthy class, touched with pity at the
privations of the poor, found charities
which domicile vast numbers of de-
pendents whose institutional training
tends to unfit them for supporting
themselves. Quite 80 per cent. OF crimes
- - H. all
that an increase of wants is an evil. for
IL Is not: on the contrary, the anti
Of mankind form the basis of all social
progress. but the security of property
Is at the very foundation of society.
1t is unimportant. for any practical
purpose. to find the relation of hered-
ity or environment to the degeneracy
of prisoners. 1t Is enough to know that
they are defective. Their Improvement
must be accomplished by the came
means and methods. whether heredity
or environment predominates, as causes
of criminal conduct Neither is IL i'm
portant to speculate upon the question
Of the prisoners moral accountability.
1t Is enough that he Is untitled for free
life. The training for safe citizenship
must be substantially the same whether
there IL or is not free agency and moral
accountability. Prisoners are properly
accountable to society for their con-
duct whether they are morally respon-
sible or not.
The prisoners confined in the prisons
are younger in years and older in ex-
p%erience han il ordinarily supposed to
be the case. Fully 40 per cent. of all
the prisoners in 10 countries. according
to the published reports. are old offend
ers, who have been previously subjected
to Imprisonment. More than so per
cent. of the prisoners are practically
illiterate on admission to prison, and at
least one-third of the whole number
are from the dull scholars in the pub
lie schools OF truants who burrow in
lanes and alleys, where they form the
worst associations and personal habits.
They are without the usual amour of
Imagination. and so without the COM
mon ambition Of the non-criminal If
their class in society.
The thought of the time is chiefly
included i'm two schools of penology
differing essentially as to the purpose
and principles of prison treatment for
crimes. The one, the so-called classical
school. which is dominant in Europe.
Is ranged under the motto punishment
the principle; prevention the Incident
The other, the school of utilitarfans and
experimentalists (Which l venture to
say is predominant in America), re-
verses the motto of the classical school
anu W Nht IiidEt III
principle; punishment the incident
The reformation of prisoners must
be the reformation of their habits,
a creating within them Of new and i'm
proved habitudes Of bodily behavior, Of
mental judgment and of moral propen-
sites. This is the reformation which is
Of practical value for preventing
crimes, and so II contributes to the
public safety. This is the state refor-
nation which the state reformstories
and penitentiaries are required to pro-
duce. and II Is this which the reform
atory system endeavors to accomplish.
Does this system Of treatment for
criminals seem chimerical, impossible?
Then let il be remembered that IL. a
century ago the present scientific care
Of the insane had been outlined and
proclaimed, ii would have been es-
a vagary of imagination: while
now IL finds acceptance. and the rude
practices out of which IL has grown
which 1t has o~utgrown-are recalled
with feelings of surprise and shame.
1T is not claimed thai criminals are |
insane. but the modern treatment of
both the insane and the criminal has
broken away from the bigotry that
would punish the bod for the sins of
the soul: away from the arrogan as
sumption that mortal man can properly
his fellow for the favor Of
bOu. anu lTOm 100 TuOe ana fmpertt- |
nent interference, N with another. to
adjust the souls relations to it's Maker. |
ITO all who are actually and success
fully engaged in the work Of recover- |
criminals to reasonable social con-
and habitual orderly adjustment
of themselves to their proper environ
ments. there appears nowadays the
OF a new light. UGH as shines
the theory Of the treatment of
the insane. Public sentiment has. pend
ulumlike. swung back. first from Sc
to sentimentalism and now to
Prison reform is now based
a broad philanthropy more and
h regards the happiness OF
individual. looking to the general
welfare. and so the happiness of all.
Prison science is working out. as II an.
In h present progress. a methodical
of penology, which Is in ac-
with the true science of our COM
mon human nature.
1T Is important that We take no