The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-10-16
PRISON
REFORM
REPORT

indianapolis, Oct. 16.-The commit
tee on reformatory WORK and parole,
in its report to the annual meeting Of
the American Prison association to-
day, dwelt Upon the need of greater
Specialism in criminal work and the
segregation of different classes of law
breakers. The petty offender, often
young, weak and impressionable, it
recommends, should not be subjected
to the dangers of association with
hardened criminals.
There Is an insidious danger says
the report, that must be insisted upon
in the classification and treatment Of
offenders. It Is admitted that in a
percentage of evil-doers certain ameli-
Grating circumstances limit the re-
sponsibility of the individual, though
they make him none the less danger
Gus to society; most important of these
is an inherent pathological condition
of the body, especially of the central
nervous system-a. condition either
hereditary or accidental; secondly. an
~UnfaVorable environment, especially in
early life. 1t is particularly in these
cases that classification and isolation
is desirable. Our danger lies in ac-
cepting a criminal type, in looking
upon pathological, enVironmental and
hereditary factors as the sole cause
Of notwithstanding they are pre-
disposing causes, but in most cases
they are not the necessary luz
THE necessary cause Of the MAORI
ty of criminal acts is the choice of the
individuals free will. Therefore to
correct the criminal tendency the only
method Of approach is by way Of the
individuals higher faculties. In the
philosophical aspect this is the prov
ince of morality, and the practical APP
pIication of morality is the function
Of religion. Religion appeals to the
personal responsibility Of the individu-
al; unless this feeling is awakened any
hope for a permanent cure is futile"
The committee emphasized the bene-
fits of the probation system, the indie
terminate sentence and the parole.
Each year, it was said, endorsed the
wisdom of these reforms. 1.-THE war
den or superintendent advocates more
and more earnestly that when practfc-
able every effort be put forth to save
offenders of the law from further evil
doing without committing to prison or
reformatory. There is no class so OPP
posed to prisons, by whatever name
called, as those whose duty it is to
superintend them; it is the indiffer-
ent. public who stolidly look on while
their members drift into prison.
The report recommends that the
present system Of medical inspection
Of schools be extended SO that the
state shall not resign supervision over
the defective class after they pass the
stage of compulsory education.
This is the time when all our ma
chinery should be perfected to safe
guard our children-especially do
plead 1t for our girls-the community
knows, 1t needs no repetition here. that
the unprotected feeble minded girl Is
a greater source of evil in a communi-
lty than a youth Of the same class.
Institutions for women of which
have any knowledge, if the lamentable
results of neglect Of this class were
taken out Of them, would show ar
amazing decrease in their population
I Even with careful provision for sufi =
cient custodial care of this class OF
weak minded, there will be a percent
age that will slip through, and for this
reason, If no other, there should be
the examination into the social, menta'
and moral conditions Of those brought
before the courts before sentence Is
passed upon them by the magistrate
or Judge"