Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-30
PRISON REFORMS
URGED BY RABBI
DIR. HEIGHT PLEADS CAUSE OF
THOSE IN TROUBLE
Contrasts Philosophy of Old and Mod
ern School, and Emphasizes
Value of Lombroso's
Work

Rabbi Hecht preached on prison re-
form last night at Temple Bnai Birth.
his being the first discourse delivered in
answer to the appeals which the Prison
Reform league, acting in conjunction
with the American Prison association
OF New York, the Central Howard as
sociation of Chicago and the Massachu-
setts Prison association, has sent to the
clergy of the country, urging the OBJ
servance of Prison Sunday.
The recent death of Lombroso, the
noted Italian criminologist, served as
fitting introduction to Mr.. Hecht's
treatment of his subject, since it en-
d bled him Immediately to draw a series
cf striking contrasts between the atti-
tude of the old and the new schools of
penology toward crime and the Grim
inal. He laid special emphasis on the
fact that the doctrine of original sin
had dominated the world too long,
mankind forgetting that as against this
would be set the doctrines of original
virtue, there being "as much good in
the worst of us as there is of bad in
the best of us" The conception of this
truth, he said, rendered all those of the
Hebrew faith peculiarly we'll disposed
toward this particular matter of prison
reform, their creed teaching them that
10 remove evil is IaT more important
than to remove the evil doer. AS yet
however, it is a deplorable fact that,
as a whole, our treatment of criminals
bears all the earmarks of a barbarism
that should have but has not disap-
reared.
Tracing the evolution of thought on
this all-important problem, Rabbi
Hecht showed that the primitive phi
losophy of revenge and punishment
ho oil - he
vanced conception of the protection of
society being the main object in view,
the condemned being at the same time
given the opportunity to eXpiate their
crime. Even at this date 1t happens
only too often that the expiation is
conducted under such conditions as
stifie all the divine in man. and leave
him, at the expiration of his term, a
pariah, whose hand is against all men
as all mems hands are against him.
This, said the speaker, is in itself but
a survival of the old doctrine of re-
venge-a doctrine to which the Bible,
properly understood, always has been
opposed. He spoke in strong terms of
torture as blot on our civilization;
reviewed the work of John Howard.
the great English prison reformer, and
emphasized the fact that America was
now moving to the front in this work
of tempering justice with mercy, as
evidenced by the rapidity with which
she is establishing juvenile courts and
putting parole laws into operation. On
this head recent statistics were given,
showing that in California out of 273
men recently paroled only five had
violated the trust imposed in them.
1t had been ascertained further that
770 men out on parole earned last Au
gust an aggregate of $4,000, one-third
of which they had saved.
Found Conditions Revolving
Rabbi Hecht alluded with much feel
ing to his own experiences as a mem
ber of the state board of prison direc-
tors in Wisconsin, saying that in that
capacity he had been compelled to visit
the penitentiary and that he had there
seen such a picture of wretchedness
as he had never dreamed of. the spec
tacle being one of gloom utterly un-
relieved, all conditions for happiness
and health being absent. He then de-
sCribed by way of contrast, a more
recent visit paid to the Elmira reform
atory, New York, where he saw an in
stitution conducted on the principle of
affording every opportunity for recla-
nation; the prisoners having ample
access to light and air and being sub
jected to the elevating influences of
art. music, an ample library and we'll
managed workshops, whose product
had filled him with admiration. He
feared, from all accounts, that neither
Folsom nor San Quentin was a credit
to the great state of California, and
alluded in particular to reports that
had reached his ears concerning the
treatment of woman prisoners in the
latter institution. which had been rep
resented as unspeakably revolving.
Perhaps the greatest of all the prob
lens connected with prison reform is
the devising of methods by which the
man released from prison shall be
given every chance to lead a new and
better life For this provision must be
made. Justice coupled with mercy Is
the ideal we must pursue, follow and
embrace"