Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-09-29
Things You Want to Know An %.ss.t SS.''n

to that time. After consulting with various
prison authorities. the governor decided to
try the experiment. 1t worked so WELL
both in the prison and out OF It, that a
number OF states have copied the idea.
The majority OF life sentences are for
murder in the second degree. 1t is thought
that a record Of from ten to twenty-five
years OF good behavior inside prison walls
is sufficient evidence that these men would
be excellent citizens II liberated. The OBJ
lection to the parole OF life prisoners comes
mainly from states in which there is no
capital Furnishing and where the jury
awards favor life-imprisonment rather than
death.
That crime and feeble mindedness arise
from hereditary faint is well illustrated by
Information gathered in Pennsylvania penal
institutions. II was found in the investiga-
ton that no less than 154 feeble minded
people were being supported by the state,
all OF whom were the offspring OF one mar
riage four generations back. The Stats
tics of criminal life are little less striking,
in many instances there being chains of
criminals covering five and six generations of
a family, 1t has been shown that % per
cent of all crime in the United States is
due to three causes, all of which may, in
fact, be traced to one source. Drunkenness
represents % per cent OF the causes of crime
in the United States, vagrancy 20 per cent
and disorderly conduct IL per cent. Va.
grancy usually arises from drunkenness
and disorderly conduct most often springs
from the same source, so that II is fair to
assume that the majority of all crimes are
the direct or indirect results OF drunkenness.
Seventy per cent of all criminals in the
United States come from defective homes,
and 20 per cent of these from homes where
husband and wife are separated.
There are more than $1,000 prisoners In
| the jails, reformatories and penitentiaries
OF the United States. Approximately lO,O0
of these are there for homicide in one form
or another. More than 5000 of those serv.
ing terms for homicide are life prisoners.
1t is estimated that the cost of crime in the
! United States is more than 81, zoo, 900 900
year, but such figures not supported
! by the more conservative authorities. A
full 500, 100000 has been invested in plans
buildings and equipment of the various
penal institutions OF the country. More
than 100000 men are engaged, in one ca.
pacty or another, in combating crime OF
punishing its perpetrators.
Considerable debate has been waged
among prison authorities as to whether or
not crime is on the increase. 1t is not
contended that there are fewer violators
of the law today than there were year ago
but the increase in violations is charge
able to the fact that there are more things
for which men may be penalized. For in
stance, twenty years ago no one was con-
victed of aduiterating food. for the simple
reason that there was no law making such
adulteration a crime. 1t is only in recent
years that men could be punished for auto
mobile speeding or Joyrinding. since there
were no automobiles in which to speed and
joyride in years gone by. Relating, now a
criminal offense, once was looked upon
without disfavor even by the government.
President Taft declared in an address
delivered not long ago. that he believed
throughout the country the administration
of criminal law and the prosecuting Of crime
constituted a disgrace to our civilization.
one of the things he had in mind was the
comparative immunity of the rich from the
operation of the criminal law, while the
poor feel all the bitterness of its enforce
ment. \ preacher once declared that IL a
man stole SO they sent him to jail and II
he stole $4,000 they sent him to congress.
OF course, this was an exaggeration, but Il
illustrates q tendency lamented by Mr..
Taft and all other devotees of the public
good The chief aim of the prison reform
; ers today is to prevent the unfortunate
youth Of the nation from gravitatlng into
a hardened career of crime. Under old con.
ditions the hayward boy was sent to Jail
where he could consort with none but those
hardened in crime and where he was al.
most sure TO absorb the nature of GRIMM.
atty. At present the juvenile court and
, the probation officer are trying to make
the unfortunate boys and girls who 20,
> into the tolls of the law feel that there Il
hope for them and II they will join in the
effort, the may be reconstructed into good
useful and honorable citizens. The sam,
E attitude is displayed on the part of tn,
keepers of adult prisoners, and no force ha,
labored so long or so effectively for the re
e juvenation of the prison world as tn,
n American Prison congress.
g BY FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN
pI Tomorrow-Passion Play OF 1910.