THE "BAD BUSINESS" OF OUR PRISON SYSTEM
[Mr. Malcolm Maenaughtan, who has himself done so much for the released prisoner, has sent us this formidable indictment of the Prison System. His remedy lies in the principle of the classification of prisoners, so that we should no long:r treat the first offender, the Incurable imbecile and the kleptomaniac exactly alike, with disastrous results to all and vast expense to the community.] IHAZARD the opinion that in all the pages of this world's history there has been no greater failure than prisons. Failure is writ large on lintel and side posts of every cell. It should be the nightmare of every judge, just and unjust ; the spectre of every statesman. From the dungeon of the forgotten Joseph, wept over in childhood's hour, right through the dark ages of rat- haunted, typhus-reeking gaols to the most up-to-date prison-house--wherever we look—there failure stares us in the face. Prisons are, and have ever been, horrible, _Cruel and costly failures, a case, if ever there was one, of "bad business."
And if judges and lawgivers have been proved failures, and if, since Christianity's Founder ascended into heaven, His Church has cared but little for criminals, where are we to look for a cure ? My suggestion is to look to the medical man, the schoolmaster, and the man of business.
In the case of little thefts, stealing of bicycles (a frequent reason for coming to prison), begging, falsely stating facts relating to doles (a new class of crime very prevalent to-day), assaults on the police and rowdyism in general, a cure for all this sort of thing should surely not be beyond the remedial power of the schoolmaster and his canc. A good dose of that old medicine would prevent many a little crime in the young. There is something very unheroic about a good licking. You can't brag about it in Waterloo Road. I can hardly imagine some of my younger friends caring to face a second time, say, Arnold of Rugby, Almond of Loretto, or Sanderson of Oundle.
Then we have crimes of drunkenness ; crimes en- gendered by want of will, feebleness of brain or nerves ; acts of indecency in public places and such like. Doctors are wanted here, and wanted badly. All instances of epileptics and those apt to do themselves harm live behind barred gates instead of doors, their cell-floors are covered with thick mats to prevent injury, and a warder is in attendance day and night. But prison is not the place for them ; it is not fair to anybody concerned to send them there—not fair to the Commissioners themselves, whose praiseworthy efforts are always directed to reducing the number of prisoners, nor to the Governor, the doctor, the warders, and the men themselves.
No truer words were ever uttered than when Sir Robert Anderson of the C.I.D. stated that half the men in prison should never be there at all, and that the other half should never be anywhere else. I am told that the old Burmese way of dealing with malefactors was to forgive the first offence and execute for the second. There is more sense in that system than in ours ; for the very worst feature of our prison life is that a man once sent to prison for, say, a week, may come to spend the rest of his life in and out of gaol.
One of the first men I ever spoke to in Wandsworth was a Scot of good education and ability. He had served with distinction in the War. He had been offered -a commission in the Highland Light Infantry, and was in the confidence of those dealing with the great railway strike which followed the War. He Was most emphatic against keeping first offenders in prison more than quite a short time. When first they come in, he said, they hate it ; they feel the disgrace keenly ; they are miserable at being parted from their relations and friends ; being locked up is awful ; were they set free after a month very few would ever come back. But let them remain six or seven weeks and they find prison not such a bad place. They make friends ; duns and difficulties are absent ; their cell is clean ; the food not so bad ; their warder is kind. In a word the horror and dread of prison are gone. In Australia, a man is set free quite shortly after his first sentence, but he is clearly warned that not only will his second sentence be served in full, but the remainder of the first sentence as well. The Commissioners and Governors of Prisons should have very large discretionary powers in this respect. On the other hand it seems to me only fair to the law-abiding public that the man who sets his will to defy the law—who, as soon as he is free from paying the penalty of one crime, sets out to commit another— should be deprived indefinitely of the power to injure his fellow-citizens.
What can the public do to help the criminal ? First and foremost, it can forgive him. That's the Master's command ; there can be no questioning here. Don't be in such a hurry to rush a man off to the nearest lock-up and charge him. If he has been in trouble don't turn your backs on him, and treat him as a leper. Let those wonderful police of ours leave him alone if he is trying to keep the narrow way ; give him a chance. Nearly every prisoner I have ever known wants to lead an honest life.
Here are some " Don'ts " for you, ladies especially Don't leave jewels lying about your dressing table at any time, but especially in the evening when the whole household's attention is riveted on the great event of the day—dinner. Householders generally, don't leave quantities of silver lying quite unguarded, especially when your servants are revelling in five o'clock tea. I went into the strangers' room of one of the best clubs in London a day or two ago. The door op- ened straight from the street ; tables were laden with lovely silver. I tried to find a servant, but could make none hear. Is this fair on the members or to the potential thief outside ? Guardians, Labour Exchanges, &c., &aft give our money away without some inquiry ; and warn all applicants what the result will be if false returns are made. Public generally, don't leave bicycles, motors, &c., where anyone may make off with them. Don't, dear ladies, carry those pretty bags, with all your money in them, on a strap that anyone can cut, especially when you are fighting to board an omnibus about five or six o'clock. In fact, use a little caution yourself ; it will be worth far more before the disaster than all the efforts of Sherlock Holmes afterwards. And churches and clergy, don't forget the sinners. It is an old saying that "The good are not altogether so good as they think themselves, and the bad are not so wicked as the good think they are." Love them, think of them, feed them, save them. You'll be doing more good than by talking for ever of altering our absolutely perfect Book of Common Prayer or debating upon such subjects as reservation and vestments. How many of the people of London know the meaning of either ?
Lastly, in one great "Do." Do help the Aid Societies. They want a place to work from and an organization which would look after, not interfere with, prisoners when they are set free. They want men and money, and they should have them. Read in the twenty-fifth chapter of St. Matthew : what I would say is far better said there than I could ever hope to siy it.
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