Chapter XII: Conclusion

The two systems of prison management, previously alluded to, are now before the reader so far as these pages have elucidated, the _reformatory_ on the one hand, and the _punitive and money-making_ on the other. And which do you prefer? Will your choice be for the honest effort to raise up the fallen, to do our duty to the erring, to throw what influences can be about these disturbers of society to lead them to become upright citizens? Or, will it fall upon the crushing, cruel, vindictive course, the process of making them more debased, sordid, revengeful? Do you prefer manhood-producing with its benign effects, or money-making attended with the blighting of the higher aspirations of the soul? This subject has been taken up in the narrative form, that the writer could the more easily, by incidents, and in the briefest way, bring out the peculiarities of the two systems in their workings and the animus impelling them. He has brought forward nothing in the line of facts and incidents except what had come under his own observation, or been so reported to him that he had no doubt of its truthfulness. Many of the incidents in Part II. he would gladly have passed in silence, regretting exceedingly the necessity of bringing them out. But a solemn sense of duty seemed to impel him to this task. He has delayed any move hoping the turn of events would excuse him from penning these truths for the public eye. But his conscience and his God will condemn him, if longer delayed. He has brought forward names with no unkind feeling, or purpose to expose or wound, but to show the way things have moved. No matter what course others may have taken towards him, he has endeavored studiously to follow the exhortation he has so often given to the prisoners in yielding all that into the hands of God, for his disposal.

This matter is now before the people. Will you not study the questions carefully and act? Will not ministers of religion and of law, merchants and artisans, all those in the various industries of life, men and women come to the help? True, the latter, however pure and exalted, is now forbidden entrance to the chapel in labors of love for the fallen men. Hence, that somewhat recent shock to the community in the stern refusal of Elizabeth Comstock's request for permission to address the inmates on their moral and religious interests. How long shall such things be in our prison? How long shall the light of science, of morality and of pure religion be virtually shut out from that abode? How long shall we work so as to make bad men worse, hard hearts harder, the depraved more iniquitous, the pestiferous more destructive to the safety and quietness of society? Till the people shall stir effectively, make their voice heard and their power felt. Why not change our system of imprisoning and put it fully on that of reform? Why not adopt the course of dismissing prisoners only on condition of good evidence of reform and on further condition of being returned in case of relapse into crime? Why not arrange for those who will not reform, as some will not, to serve in prison for life, thus freeing society of their depradations? Then why not use them humanely while keeping their time occupied in useful employment, still permitting each to enjoy the means of mental, moral and religious culture. Many, thus situated would, no doubt, live really good, pious lives, who, from their moral weakness, could not resist the temptations to crime which are met on every hand without. To such, the prison should act as a kind, beneficent guardian.

Transcriber's Note: The following typographical errors which were present in the original edition have been corrected.

In the Table of Contents, "B. and E's request" was changed to "B. and E.'s request".

In Part I, Chapter 1, a missing quotation mark was added after "managing penal institutions".

In Part II, Chapter 1, a missing quotation mark was added after "correction of prison abuses".

In Part II, Chapter 6, "laborers in she school" was changed to "laborers in the school".

In Part II, Chapter 11, "a line of sustantial agreement" was changed to "a line of substantial agreement".

In Part II, Chapter 19, "On said of the cracked wheat" was changed to "One said of the cracked wheat".

In the original text, two chapters were numbered 24. The second of these has been renumbered 24 1-2 (which matches the numbering in the Table of Contents).

In Part II, Chapter 24 1-2, a missing quotation mark was added after "a system of especial surveillance".

In Part II, Chapter 26, "Had they endeed his sufferings" was changed to "Had they ended his sufferings".

In Part II, Chapter 27, "asked to state about the Silver case" was changed to "asked to state about the Sylver case", and "the patient really died of a heart difficult" was changed to "the patient really died of a heart difficulty".

In Part II, Chapter 35, a missing quotation mark was added after "take anything extra", and a missing comma was added between "irritability" and "angry feeling".

In Part II, Chapter 36, a missing quotation mark was added after "it seems that Pike is nominated".

In Part II, Chapter 47, "they were no inclined to that" was changed to "they were not inclined to that".

In Part II, Chapter 51, a quotation mark preceding "One exclaimed" was deleted.

In Part II, Chapter 54, "Prison report for 72" was changed to "Prison report for '72", and a missing quotation mark was added after "no complicated matters to embarrass the institution".

In Part II, Chapter 55, "the teaching of rades" was changed to "the teaching of trades", a quotation mark following "without turning the discipline into cruelty" was deleted, "should it beindustrial" was changed to "should it be industrial", a quotation mark was added following "industrial", a quotation mark was deleted following "views expressed by the speakers mentioned", and a quotation mark was added following "to act on these independently".