Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-19
A System That Should Be Changed.

A notorious criminal case. fresh in
the minds Of the people of Maine and
particularly to the citizens of Augusta,
brings home to thinking men, to the
courts and to civic officials. the ne
cessity for better system of control
over an element with criminal lean
ings which is a standing menace to the
public and often an intermittent
nightmare. That man, more es-
pecially young man of criminal ten
denotes or of degenerate inclinations,
should be dropped by the State the
moment he has served sentence for 4
crime, to become. all too often, al
unemployed and mischief studying
member of society. and burden upon
the public. is one of the evils in our
handling of dangerous social ele-
ment In the case in mind a young
man has been repeatedly given short
sentences to State prison with the
hope that such temporary protection
of society would prove of salutary eff
feet upon his mind and habits, and
that when given his freedom he would
become a useful member of society.
o This is a false hope and. in a very
mistake, both for the criminal and tho
public. When man is given a suit
of clothes and dumped upon society
without money and without friends
who are deeply interested in him. and.
as quite common, his only friends IF
an Indifferent type if not of low or
der. he stands small show Of getting
desirable employment or of falling in
with a class of people who will be up
lifting to him. Such a man becomes
direct and constant menace to the
community of which he becomes a
unit. An idle mind and body Of evi.
predictions is growing danger AMI
not receding one.
Our point is this, that when the
court sentences a young man of such
tendencies, for the protection of So
ciety and for the effect of such pun
1shment upon that element of society,
ii should make as a part Of that SEN
tence the continuous control and direc-
ton by the court of such criminal for
a period of two years at least after the
expiration of his Imprisonment. In
such term of State control some bu-
reau or State institution should see
that the paroled prison is under con-
slant supervision, and provide that
he is properly employed and has OPP
portunity to make good instead of
making bad. If. in such period of
oversight, the released prisoner should
show a desire and determination to
live good and useful life. then he
should be finally released and made a
free citizen of society. If, on the con-
trary. he showed a disposition not to
work and to indulge his mind in
their known evil tendencies, then the
court should have redisposition of his
case and commit him to the care oe
some reformatory institution, that
such tendencies be restrained, and the
public protected from the probable
consequences of turning such a man
loose upon the world.
We believe the State owes it to it
self and the person sentenced to so
provide for his future on leaving
prison that he will have somethin :
else to do than invent deviltry. The
State that has taken bad mind in
charge should see to it that a helping
hand is extended rather than the pres
ent customary ostracism that drives
the unfortunate to encouragement
and further crime.