A Plea for the Criminal

No other plea is advanced than that the public mind should rid itself of all prejudices and misunderstandings, and should make an

crime, that he is often an ungrateful wretch that will bite the hand that feeds him and that among his ranks are to be found the most depraved specimens of humanity that the mind can c

ough. This simply indicates that society as a whole has made very little real progress in the manner in which it regards its criminals. The old barbaric idea of revenge is still the dominant one and any scheme for the betterment of the criminal, even if it should give unmistakeable signs that it will accomplish his absolute reform, is carefully investigated to see whether it provides for a sufficient degree of penal suffering. Suffering which is of an

nd I know him personally and well, and I know of what he is capable and such knowledge brings with it the conviction that society commi

not God any more than is the individual, so that by acting in the co

but by the accomplishment of the reform of the criminal. This latter process is for the criminal himself, infinitely more severe than the former, but it i

on, but simply as a creature of capabilities and possibilities which require the

and a waste of time to think over; they advocate his extermination. They would fling back

istian sentiment which is to-day in full flood. The Christian does at least recognize that of every defective God says, "take this child and nurse it for Me,

emblems. In replying to Dr Chapple, I have endeavoured to show that his proposal touches but the fringe of the problem, and even there after an unscientific and immor

inspire society towards greater collective ameliorative effort, in which our full confidence may unhesitatingly be placed. The author hopes that the criminal, a subject of patient study for the last ten

cience in England and in the United States, and who have rendered him valuable assistance. Also, the assistance of many kind friends in New Zealand is gratefully