The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-12

edited by convicts at Sing Sing. there APP
who is described as visiting this earth to
! inspect the workings of the penal system
claimed by him as his own invention. One
| Of the features of this system in which
he is represented as taking particular
pride is the "lockstep.'' which is said to
| brand a man forever in society as having
done time Lucifer is reported as say
ing:
The lockstep is rather ingenious: it requires
| peculiar and noticeable carriage Of the body,
| and equally eccentric movement of the lover
| limbs. In the OF time thu, become habi.
tual. and the results roun,lir.; and slsntins
| OF the shoulders, unevenness in the gait. which
are quite unr,is,akah.c. Tie lockstep is also val
liable in that like the prison garb, and the hair
| clipping, IT hurts mans seif-respect.'
| or course the lockstep was not originally
| intended to afford evidence of criminal
! record: but 1t is claimed that its results
are Just the same as if that had been
the purpose of its inventors. We have.
| generally speaking. outgrown the custom
| of branding evil doors. mutiiatng Them
and otherwise causing them to bear to
the end of their lives proof of crime once
committed. The abolition of these punish
ments is due partly to a growing humani
tartan spirit and partly to the conviction
that they do not properly punish the
criminal. or serve as a deterrent to crime.
There is always question, and proba-
bly, It will never be answered quite salts
factorily how far society has a right to
protect itself against possible evil-doers
masQuerading as honest men. The simple
notion Of old-time judges was, "once
malefactor always malefactor," and they
arranged matters in such way as to
separate for all time the man who had
committed a crime from the one who had
not II possible. Sometimes they branded
the convict; sometimes they clipped his
ears: later they hanged him. or trans
ported him for life. under the impression
that honesty was a thing that could not
be learned, and that if man had once
been a thief he would never be quite hon
est again. Recently. however. there has
been a disposition to believe in the pos
sibility OF reforming even hardened crimi-
nails, and philanthropists have spent an
J.
slums which would have seemed incredi-
Bile to former generations. In short, 1t Is
coming to be recognized that a criminal
is a man.
AS a general thing. the effect upon the
convict of any punishment which makes
him a marked man. apart from his fell
lows, is distinctly bad. II he is vicious
h,-, {pr Nd of
punishment does not act as a deterrent;
if he can be brought back into the paths !
of honesty, by wise and skillful manage
ment, the criminal brand absolutely pre-
vents him, in nine cases cut of ten, from
responding to efforts which may be made
in his behalf. He cannot get a place to
work If he is known as Jail bird" So
ciety thus following the eminently sensi-
BILE plan Of melting a man to honesty by
making il impractcable for him to live
without stealing. Even if he does obtain
employment and his story is known, So
ciety does all it can to remove any in
centive to better life by Withdrawing
from him social recognition the friend
ship of women and children, and advance
h.Vnb oiutNtIy society Is
not to be blamed for this; but it should
be recognized. before Judging the criminal, |
that if he wants TO do right he is by his I
record placed in position where 1t is |
well-nigh impossible for him to behave I
himself 1t is natural. therefore. that |
since SO heavy a penalty for honest con-
fession of his past is exacted. he should
seek to conceal it. or go where it will
not matter If it is known. The prosperity
of new countries is due in no small
measure TO the good still remaining in ex-
convicts, scapegraces. and disgraced men
OF various types, who have come away
from their former associates. taken new
names. and determined to make the most
Of whatever chance might be left them in
life Such men. while they may never
make the conventional good citizen. are
nevertheless often valuable in the build
ing Of q new State. Is there not some
way which can be devised for making them
Useful in the more settled conditions of
society? The matter is worth considering.
Meanwhile. perhaps a good preliminary
proceeding would be TO abolish the lock-
step.