The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-05-17
Asst December and January,
"Die Woche," a Berlin illus
4 trated weekly, published three

AL DecemD0r ana January,
'Die Woche," a Berlin illus
- trated weekly, published three
different articles relative to the
/. International Prison Conference, held
at Hamburg last November. At the
time the publications reached him, the
writer contemplated translating the
articles for the benefit of our readers;
but found that the matter required
explanations which he, the writer, was
unable to furnish. However, even
gleanings from those articles, together
with what the writer does know-or
thinks he does .know-may be of inter
est to the readers of prison paper.
Let us see:
In his opening speech, the chairman
cautioned his hearers against, what he
called, the Exaggerated sentimentality
of would-be refOrmers." He pointed
out that, in the intention of law, the
penalty of imprisonment had been en-.
acted primarily as deterrent for
crime. The punishment of the wrong
doer, originally, had been a secondary
consideration; but, in the course of
time, had developed into primary
object. The growth of the nations
the centering of population in the
larger cities, and the constantly in
creasing demand for luxuries of the
individual, had caused such an aug
mentation of the criminal element
within the last four decades, that the
question, as to what is to become of
the many discharged prisoners, had
grown into one OF socfologfc, national,
economic, and moral moment of the
greatest magnitude. For these rea-
sons, it had become the interest and
duty of all civilized countries to devise
ways and means for combining the
reformation with the punishment OF
the prisoners. But as far as the legal
profession and the executors of the
law (prison officials) were concerned
the punishment for, and deterrent
from crime, must always remain the
primary and secondary consideration;
the reformation constituting the terti.
ary object.
The great writer's on criminoIogy did
not fare we'll at the hands of the con.
ferees. C@sare Lombroso's conten-
tion, that the majority of criminals
were degenerates, was declared to be
wholly unwarranted by actual facts;
that, on the contrary, the prisons con-
tained but very small percentage of
inmates who could be justly classed
as degenerates. Max Nordau's con-
tention, that the average prisoner is
a parasite, was indisputable as far az
offenders against property were con.
cerned, but only partially true in ref.
erence to offenders against the person
The idea so frequently advanced by
temperance agitators that crime was
attributable epreponderately to the use of
intoxicants, was absolutely discredited
1t was admitted that many cases of
manslaughter and other crimes, com.
mitted on the spur of the moment
could be traced to drunkenness. On
the other hand, it was said to be
proved by the experience of all courts
of investigation and trial, that the
criminals who constituted the real
danger to society, such as embezzlers,
forgers, burglars, highwaymen, and
even the majority of murderers, were
mostly all persons Of moderate habits.
Tho, perhaps, all these persons might
indulge in drink occasionally, the com-
mitment of their crimes could not b1
traced to drink; either directly, or in
directly. It will be noticed that diff
ferent opinions prevail in this country,
tho it is almost inconceivable that a
professional criminal could plan, plot
and execute crime, unless he were
sober-very much sober, indeed.
Two entire days were spent by the
conference discussing habitual crimi-
mails, with special reference to
second and more timers, who were said
to increase in alarming proportions in
Europe; tho the statistics of the differ
emit countries vary to an extraordinary
degree. From 9 percentage Of second