The New York Tombs Inside and Out!: Scenes and Reminiscences Coming Down to the Present. A Story Stranger Than Fiction, with an Historic Account of America's Most Famous Prison.Munro, John Josiah
History
The New York Tombs Inside and Out!: Scenes and Reminiscences Coming Down to the Present. A Story Stranger Than Fiction, with an Historic Account of America's Most Famous Prison.
Munro, John Josiah
Crime -- New York (State) -- New York; Halls of Justice (New York, N.Y.)
Here it is that many a man who has brooded over the past to such an
extent that when he has atoned for his crime, and he finds himself a
free man once more, has made up his mind to fight society to a finish!
From this time on his hand is against every man, and every man is
against him. The imprisonment has aroused in him the darkest passions of
an unregenerate life, and made him a moral anarchist for the fancied
wrongs he has suffered. Said a man to me who had spent nearly
twenty-four years in prison, having been convicted of crime eight or ten
different times, when I asked him why he did not go to work when he came
out of Caldwell Prison, N. J., “Me work! I will never work. When I was
sent to prison for the first time, I received a good deal of harsh
treatment. I then vowed vengeance for the wrongs done me. No! I will
steal as long as I live, but I will never work.” Whenever I touched on
prison life, the subject awoke bitterness in his soul, and for the time
being he spoke like a maniac. The fact is, over fifty per cent. of all
first offenders come from our penal institutions, and after a brief
period return to crime again, unreformed and uncured.
The prison authorities should always bear in mind that no matter how
deep-dyed in crime the inmates may be, they are moral beings, made in
the image of God, and are therefore worth saving, and may be saved if
the proper methods and influences are brought to bear the right way on
their minds and lives. While there is life there is hope.
It is true, the men in prison, no matter how intelligent, have little
influence over the authorities in bringing about needed reforms. They
are regarded as having no right to complain, nor even to ask for favors.
If they are to receive favors, others must speak in their behalf. Even
the suggestions of criminals are usually ignored by the prison
authorities, as they are supposed to be moved by sentiment, or often by
mercenary reasons.
In dealing with crime, it should be the settled policy of the State to
use every means possible, although sometimes expensive, to bring about
the reformation of the prisoner. It is a well known fact that when a
thief is sent to prison, absolutely nothing is done to teach him the why
and wherefore of the Eighth Commandment, “Thou shalt not steal.” Out of
168 hours in seven days, one, or possibly two, hours are devoted to
religious training. If the thief, the perjurer, the gambler, the
swindler and others of that ilk are to be reformed, why not use means
for the accomplishment? Why not have moral and ethical teaching, or
addresses of some kind daily? Every one saved from a life of wrongdoing
will necessarily reduce the cost of crime!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account