The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-12-02
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gle" maintains that children are
simply little savages. He says that
they are neither moral nor immoral,
but unmoral;. that they are neither
good o bad, but are either strong
or weak. To attempt to correct weak
ness by punishment, he insists. de-
yelops fear and through it lying. 1t is
upon this theory that Judge Lindsey
has accomplished the wonderful re-
suits which have made his juvenile
court famous the world over. 1t was
by first impressing the children with
the thought that he wanted to help
them that he turned boys with long
criminal records into model citizens
and even succeeded in sending boys
committed to the reform school half
way across the state without escort
to present themselves at the institu-
ton. Out Of more than 200 boys thus
sent alone to reform school, only
eight failed to appear at the insti-
tuition.
Judge Lindsey says:
DO you know that over half the
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prisons in this country are under
twenty-five years of age? (Some
authorities say under tWenty-three.)
Do you know that an English prison
commission not long ago reported to
parliament that the age Of sixteen to
twenty wac the essentially criminal
age? Do you know that the Earl of
|Shaftesbury, after much study, de-
iclared that not two out Of any hum
dred criminals in London had form
ed the habits that led to criminality
after the twentieth year7 l may be
very crazy, and yet not be SO crazy
as the people who. in the face of
these facts, believe that the criminal
methods of our civilization are any
thing but a gigantic crime and a stu
pendous folly"
aeHeEs aHfSHess Et
This conclusion is not debatable.
II is correct in theory and Judge
Lindsey has proved it to be correct
In practice. Judge Lindsey modestly
denies any Of the "hypnotism' by
which his wonderful success with boys
has often been explained. Unques-
,tionably he has . peculiarly magnetic
personality to make him more sue
cessful than the average man could
be. There are only a few people in
any age who can strike that low ly-
ing chord OF human sympathy which
vibrates the universal soul.
But, after making due allowance
for Judge Lindsey's personal equip
ment, 1t still remains true that penal
systems everywhere would accom-
plish moreaof their supposed purpose
Of correctioraif his theory were every
where adopted. How many Of us
who have never been accused Of q!
crime would be able to make head
way II all society assumed us to be
wholly bad? And vet that is pre-
what is done when either a boy
or a man is placed under arrest.
Those who Ire strong by heredity
and by virtue Of good homes through
childhood. must needs continually
appeal TO the best that IL in them II
they are to keep their faces ever to-
the light. How much more need is
there. then. for appeal to the good
10 those who. through weakness,
have allowed. themselves to, fall into
bad habits? Very few children can
be driven up the paths Of right liv-
ms; they must be taken by the hand
md led.
The trouble is not so much that
hose charged with enforcement of
The law will not agree that Lindsey
md those who believe with him are
right, as that they VIII not give the
Time or attention necessary to carry
nut the Lindsey plan. It takes much
less time to order . prisoner to JAIL
han to gain his confidence and, by
tanning into life the remaining sparks
manhood. give him new resolu-
Alarge part Of the boys who
90 wrong have not had the care they
needed In their homes; and Il cer-
;ainly does not help them for the
courts to treat them with still less
ARE. The redemption Of the jail
bird. be he first offender In his teens