The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1900-10-18
THE PURPOSE OF THE
STATE PRISON.
An Address Delivered by Warden C. McC. Reeve Before
the Charities and Corrections Conference
at Winona, Oct. 1st.
at WinOna, Oct. Ist.

desire at the outset to disclaim any
particular knowledge of the subject 1
am called on to discuss. am like the
colored preacher who, after announc-
ing his text said: "Bredren; in cussin
and discussin dis subjek, shall in de
fust place speak at de text, in de
second place shall speak Oh de text,
and in de lass place and principally, I
shall scatter" So if my remarks savor
largely of the third division of the
Senegambian's sermon, shall hope, in
this charitable assemblage, for modi-
cum of charity for myself. And l
promise at the outset not to offend
your intelligence by the constant use
of those hackneyed trademarks of the
profession, "penology," "along these
lines," "environment," "heredity," ct
id genus omne.
The purpose of the state prison has
changed so radically during the past
quarter of century, that we may we'll
pause to consider whether those, to
whom the desire to protect society and
punish offenders is due the credit for
the establishment of state prisons, were
justified in their harsh treatment of
criminals, or whether the so-called
more enlightened modern methods are
those which produce the most desira-
BILE results. If the pathway to hell is
paved with good intentions, the road
to the modern prison is marked in an
entirely different way. Defiance of the
law which has at last Outwitted and
trapped the evil-doer; contempt for
the personal recklessness which has
rendered such success possible; hatred
for the selfish and cowardly confeder-
ates who have purchased immunity by
the betrayal of their partners in crime;
a bitter cursing on the Almighty for
punishment oftentimes unjustly in
f1icted these are the sentiments which
actuate the great majority of those
upon whom the prison gates close for
longer or shorter term. 1 make no
mention of those who, influenced
temporarily by a sickly sentimentality,
announce themselves as thoroughly
satisfied with their fate; admit the
justice of their sentence; and pretend
to welcome their approaching incar-
ceratiOn as punishment we'll merited,
without enduring which, they would
scarcely feel fitted to again take up
the burden and responsibilities of
every day life.
Such persons, and for the manhood
which exists even among criminals 1
am glad to say are few in number,
are always objects of suspicion to
every prison official.
In my limited experience have not.
as yet, chanced upon the hopeless class.
Such class may possibly exist, but
even the habitual criminal, the third
and fourth termer, seems buoyed up
with hope that when his present SEN
tence expires, something better is in
store for him. Like Micawber, he is
waiting, albeit in prison, for something
to "turn up" and his confidence in the
eventual outcome is no less pro-
nounced than was that ofthe optimistic
Englishman. If these deductions are
correct, then the prison has to deal
with an element not only impatient of
restraint, but without desire for refor-
nation: unsettled in habits, unused to
continuous labor, improvident, ig-
norant, Oftentimes of depraved tastes
and habits. It'is in view of these con-
ditions, perhaps, that public sentiment
is divided as to the purpose of the
prison. On the one hand are those