Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1883 — Habitual Criminals in France. [ARTICLE]

Habitual Criminals in France.

St. James Gazette. London. The bill which has just been introduced into the French Chamber for dealing with habitual criminals provides that a sentence of transportation for life shall be passed upon all persons coming within the following categories: First, those who commit a fresh felony within eight years of their discharge from prison tor a first crime; second, those who after being found guilty of felony, shall within a period of eight years from their discharge be twice sentenced to three months imprisonment for theft, embezzlement, abduction of minors, or indecent behavior in public; third, those who within the same period after their discharge have bepn sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment. All persons who have been sent to prison four times within eight years for certain minor offences will also be liable to be transported for life, this being left to the discrimination of the presiding Judge. Among these minor offenses is vagrancy, which the new measure defines as follows: Vagabonds are persons who have no fixed residence 'or means of livelihood, who have no regular profession, and who live upon the proceeds of gambling and prostitution.”