Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-04-24
STATE REFORMATORY FOR
THE YOUTHFUL CRIMINAL,
Sentiment is i'm Line With Advanced
Thought of Other States.
Ladies of Alabama Took Up Question
Pushed it to a Successful Con-
CluSiOn.
Jackson News.

|
For good many years there has
been sentiment in the state of Mis-
sissippi for the establishment of a
state reformatory for the youthful
criminals. Such sentiment is strictly
in line with the advanced fought of
other states. Mississippi has had,
and still has, some very youthful
criminals who have been sent to the
penitentiary where they mingle with
the old and hardened convicts and,
when they are released from the pen
itenitary, they are first-class criminals
IN every respect. Some time ago the
ladies Of our sister state of Alabama
took up the question of state reform
atory for the youthful convicts, and
they pushed it to successful conclu
sion, the legislature agreeing to try
the experiment for limited time and,
if it turned out as the ladies said it
would, it was to become permanent
feature of Alabama's convict system.
The following interesting editorial
from the Mobile Register in regard to
the retormatory in that state will be
read with interest:
1.-THE women who have charge of
the state reformatroy for boys show a
large confidence in the men Of the state
when they pledged themselves to sup
ply the present needs of the institu-
ton. There was for years popular
demand for a reformatory. There is
| not judge or court officer in the
state who has not had experience
teaching that there was demand for
such an institution. If the boys with
criminal antecedents and surroundings
are secured and taught useful trades
the source of the large supply of bust
| ness for the criminal courts will be
shut off, and thousands of dollars
saved to the state. In response to the
popular demand the women took the
| matter in hand and started reforma-
tory, with its management living in a
tent and the first dozen boys domi-
ciled in a tumble down cabin, on
lot Of ground donated by the Com
mercial club of Birming cham. They
went to the Legislature and got an ap-
preparation for domatory and for
meagre equipment and the place has
| been crowded all the time, while ap-
| plications are frequent and have been
refused because there is no more room.
The manager is most estimable man
| and has effected wonderful reformation
in the habits of the boys committed
to his charge; moreover, the boys
seem to be glad to be there and hope
| full of useful future. The products
of their industry will compare favor
ably with those of the best factories.
''The legislature having put the
women and their enterprise upon pro-
baton was in duty bound to take over
the institution when it was proved to
be successful; and that obligation still
rests with the legislature. All other
progressive commemorative have such
reformatories, many of them much
larger than the one in Alabama. The
duty of preventing crime by educating
the young who are likely to fall into
crime is well recognized 1t is not a
| sentiment, but practical thing. 1t
pays to look after the uncared-for
boys. No money could be better ex-
pended than that devoted to the en-
largement of the Alabama reforma-
tory. We hope that the brave women
have not misplaced their trust and
that the men of Alabama when they
reassemble in the legislative session,
will give the institution the support
it so eminently deserves. "
| The News would like to see the
| good ladies of Mississippi take up
the question of a reform school for
Mississippi. 1t believes that the time
is ripe for the establishment of such a
school. The state owes it to the
young who go wrong and brought face
to face with the law, not to send them
to the penitentiary, where they will
be forced to mingle with the old and
hardened criminals. If the ladies OF
Mississippi will take hold of the re-
formatory movement, like those of
Alabama, the legislature will estab-
lish it.
L. = -