Crime -- Great Britain; Criminal anthropology; Punishment -- Great Britain
Private official enquiries give opportunity for petty persecution on the
part of any Jack-in-office who fancies his abilities are equal to his
position, and whose spleen may be raised against better men than himself.
No man eminent in his profession would be likely to be guilty of such
conduct, but the occupation of some positions does not necessarily imply
professional eminence, though it may infer social influence.
The Medical Officer has not an arduous task in treating the sick. His work
practically consists of patching up old offenders, in the knowledge that
he is prolonging their lives and their uselessness, to the injury of the
public. Many of them would have been dead long ago as the result of their
excesses had they not been interfered with. It is well that their lives
should be prolonged and their health improved, but only if some security
is taken that they use their powers to better purpose in the future than
they have done in the past. There is no sense in the State doing anything
for anybody without a reasonable guarantee that the person benefited will
not use the benefit to the injury of the community. Many are cured of
diseases in various public institutions, and turned loose to live on
others for the rest of their lives. There is an increasing number of young
people who, having suffered from some serious illness, have been saved
from death, but have been left permanently crippled to some extent in one
or other of their organs. They are not fit for the work they once engaged
in, but they are fit for some work, and so far as can be seen, they have
no intention of performing any. A number of them drift to the prison and
on the strength of their infirmity try to get special treatment. The
special treatment they require cannot be had there, nor is there any place
at present where it can be had.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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