Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-26
BILLED To TACKLE
CRIME PROBLEMS
Two Congresses viii Meet at
Washington, D. c., to Dis
cuSS Remedies
by w. G. OWEN

/
from Prof c. r, Henderson of the University
of Chicago abstracts of the addresses to be de-
livered at the International Prison congress
| in Washington D. c., which will follow i'm
mediately that to be held by the American
Prison association, in the same city, Sept,
% to Oct. 2. The gathering of two such i'm
portant bodies testifes eloquently to the rapid
growth of interest in the treatment of crime
and criminals, and the subjects to be con-
sidered exhibit extraordinary range. The
congress will be divided into four sections each
dealing with a separate department of the
problem
The much debated indeterminate sentence
will be the first subject considered by sec
tion No. 1. Nine papers are to be read,
and the abstracts show wide differences of
opinion. The Italian inspector general Of
prisons; the director Of the Transvaal prisons;
Dr. Vambery of Budapest Prof. Napodano of
the University Of Pisa, and Professor Garraud
of Lyons, France, favor the indeterminate
sentence, but with many reservations On
the other hand, Professor Friedman Of Hun
gary, Sir Evelyn Ruggles-Brise of England
Professor Cont of Rome, and Mr.. Brueck-
Faber of Luxembourg, either oppose 1t direct
ly or express the belief that the end sought
can be best obtained by supplementary SEN
tences. 1t is astonishing how profoundly
these experts, several of whom are at the
head Of the penal administration of their
lCSlcEtlNS SOuhlIleSs ulSdSItbs
REPORT CRIME INCREASING
On one point, however and that the most
important of all, there appears to be an
ominous unanimity expert after expert de-
claring that crime is alarmingly on the in
crease. For example, Director Ross says:
''The number of criminals in the Transvaal
is increasing with alarming rapidity;' the
Italian inspector general of prisons remarks
that "the increase OF habtual criminality has
been distressing for a long time, for it is
noticeable in all countries" and Professor
Friedman comments on the rapid growth of
cities, many Of whose inhabitants live by
crime He says: 'Neuropathlcs. epileptcs and
alcoholic persons form large group of Grim
inals. AS to the criminal acts committed In
passion, they are legion"
1t may be added that these experts en-
phasize the fact that the recidivist the
habitual criminal, is becoming more and more
numerous, and the present writer submits that
herein is to be found proof Of the correct
Judgment of the Prison Reform league, which
has maintained in all its publications that
modern prisons schools for crime. and
that the released convict, with the hand
of all the world against him. is in many in
stances literally forced to break the law.
Be this it may If the opinion Of the
most noted European experts is worth any
thing, the situation is one full Of danger
and pre-emlnently unsatisfactory. With so
profound a disagreement among the doctors
there seems to be little probability of their
discovering the specific remedy
The first section will consider also the
grave question of extradition-in connection
with which Professor Doleschall of Budapest
favors an international police register and
other drastic measures-and conspiracy in
crime. Under this last head come crimes
committed by mobs under the leadership Of
agitators.
DIFFER on CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Chief among the subjects to be debated in the
second section Is the death penalty. Director
Roos reports that the Transvaal has not seen
its way to the abolition of capital punish
nent, but 'the tendency has been to reduce
the number OF crimes for which it is ap-
Illed." He tells us that since 1902 forty
eight persons have been hung, and that the
same number have had the death sentence
commuted to hard labor for life. Mr. Nisen
Of Norway declares that "the suppression Of
the death penalty has had no detrimental eff
feet on crime" but Dr. Gennat Of Hamburg
would extend the death penalty to "derailing
train, causing inundaton, a shipwreck, or
the loss OF vessel if they result in death
and the author Of the crime could have fore
seen that result" Here again the disagree
ment Of the head medicine men is most dis
Couraging.
The Role Of punishment Is the SUBJECT
OF a long paper to be read by NJ Vidal
Of Toulouse, France, much Of which will
be devoted TO juvenile crime. His views are
stern and both hl and the inspector general
OF prisons from Madrid favor confinement,
the latter urging It for the accused well
as the convicted. lie would have special pris-
ons for political and anarchistic offenders.
on the other hand, the president of the Irish
prison system writes glowlngly OF the results
achieved in the treatment Of juvenile Offend
ers at BorstaL 1.-The inmates are taught
trades. They work together; they have physi-
cal exercise and take walks. They have
we'll selected library; they can write letters
and receive frequent visits; they have better
food and may earn more qualifications thap
the ordinary prisoner
FAVOR DRASTIC MEASURES
DIR. Baogh Of the University of Budapest
considers short sentences for juvenile deln-
quents worse than useless and Mr.. Brueck-
Faber Of Luxembourg whe opposes the in
lever in the deterrent theory for he de-
clares that 'besdes the reformatory element
in the treatment Of prisoners there is an ex-
piatory element that should be considered
He expresses himself as follows; EVERY year.
on the anniversary of the crime, or of the
chief crime, If there have been several, the
convict is 10 be put under a rigid regime con-
sisting Of absolute isolation, With material
privation diminution Of food, work. no
visits no reereations a hard bed, etc. This
regime should last at least three days, without
execution and should go up to three months