Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1901 — Educate the Criminals. [ARTICLE]

Educate the Criminals.

Common sense and the law declare that imprisoned criminals living at public expense, shall not by their labor compete with honest men working outside prison walls, it would be preposterous, of course, to allow the man in prison, working for no wages, to diminish the income of the honest workman who pays taxes to maintain the prisons. On the other hand, to condemn the prisoners to absolute idleness Involves extreme brutality, punishment of a most atrocious kind. Nervous diseases, ill health and even Insanity follow enforced Idleness of mind and body. Many plans are suggested for overcoming this difficulty, for keeping the convicts busy without bringing them into competition with honest workmen. It seems to us that prison authorities might find a solution of their question in the education of prisoners. If prison life could be made to diminish criminal tendencies, as well as to punish criminals, the taxea of the people would certainly be better spent than at present Crime in the majority of cases is the result first, of ignorance, and, second, of a lack of mental discipline. If the prisons could educate and discipline their inmates crime would steadily decrease and the problem of occupying prisoners wisely would be solved. A man can be educated even at thirty or forty, and at that late age his mind can l.e accustomed to discipline and regularity. In many cases the distance which separates the criminal from the man of ability is very small. Prison education might transform public nuisances Into useful members of society. We wish that the prison authorities might see something in this suggestion worthy of experiment Distance len*j ‘ enchantment to the view, without Interest or security.