The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-09-25
CRIME and ITS
Preventative
By Sherlock

At this juncture of our civilization
one might rightly term this The
age of Conservation" that is, in the
least, on paper. Therefore, for the
space of few brief moments allow
me to add to the expressions OF Pen
dennis, also Otto Mobile, along the
lines they have both SC beautifully
chosen. However, | don't contend
to WELD so eloquently the pen, as
to be readily understood.
Using Crime and Its Preventa-
tives" as chosen thesis let us re-
vert back step and without deal
ing in the invective let us review
on a whole just the exact methods
In dealing with this one great
enigma.
Firstly, it has always been the
habit of those in command to use
rule of thumb" as preventative
against criminal corruption, but to
date this method is beginning to be
generally understood as a poor and
improper method to use in dealing
in the suppression of crime. The
ancient tendency was to impose a
certain cut and dried punishment
for certain crime without regard to
the individuality of the human be-
ing upon whom the sentence was
inflicted.
Courts are recognizing the fact
that youthful (boys) first offenders
must be saved if possible from in
generation in a penal institution.
They are awakening to the fact that
confinement in such an Institution
is but. a schooling place to the
young elastic mind of youth, where
he learns more or less through asso-
citation other methods of crime and
criminal pursuits which. if not held
in restraint, may prove disastrous
for the boy.
Save the boys!" Pendennis'
slogan. This is being done. The
first to be removed from the rule of
thumb were juvenile wrong-doers.
All over the land special juvenile
courts have been established where
first offenders are and can be given
proper consideration.
The idea of vindictive punish
ment is on the wane. This present
age, the age of conservation, is en-
crossed with the idea that the hand
ling of the criminal should be in
such a way that he may be re-
formed and returned to a place as a
useful and productive member of
society at the earliest possible mo-
ment. Then | say to you, dear So
ciety, let that moment in beginning
the return, be started in the court
room and not in prison.
Our criminal code (Which is the
youngest branch of all our law
has been enacted by the social body
for it's own safety. It's apparent
purpose is not to secure immunity
from crime, but to secure protec-
ton against the criminal. 1t may
be said that that is the only province
of positive law and that the finer
ethics of the matter lie within the
domain of social or political science.
l am not quite so sure that ethics
should not play large part in the
administration of even the strictest
possible code of positive laws. But
the problem we are facing today is
that any act which falls within a
certain and classified and arbitrary
list is forthwith named an offense
against the state and society. Little,
if any, attention has been given to
the motive underlying the act. Nor
has the good of the criminal him
self been taken largely into consid-
Grafton in administering punish
ament. save upon one theory that it
will give him time to become peni-
tent by restricting his liberty.
Speaking as a class, does he? The
accepted doctrine seems to be that
he who has done any one of these
things is of necessity, by temper
ment and nature, an enemy of his
fellow-man.
Not until we get legislation that
will divorce the criminal from the
civil law. with specializing judges
to sit in both, will we get at the
base of reformation, and of saving
men. A Judge who gives most of
his time trying civil cases is in no
sense of the word fitted to try
eriminal cases as his knOwledUa of