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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN. .NO^uiyk.;: . Officers State Society. President: Dupont Gnerrj, Macon. First Vice-Pres,: Dr. A. It. Holderby, Atlanta. Second Vice-Pres.: Dr. B. C. Peete, Macon. Secretary'Treasurer: Dr. W. T. Jones, Atlanta. Annual Meeting (n May, 1907, at Macon. SOCIOLOGICAL EDITORIAL COMMITTEE—Rev. C. B. Wilraer, J. D. Cleaton, E. Marvin Underwood, Dr. R. R. Kime. Officers Atlanta Society. (tegular Meeting on Second Thursday Night of h'fteh Month at Carnegie Library. THE PRIMAL CAUSES OF CRIME AND BEST METHODS OF PREVENTION By M By E. MARVIN UNDERWOOD. ANY * criminologist, declare . crime to be a disease. Disease Is that state which Is otherwise him normal, that Is a diseased person » an abnormal person. The severity ,r a diseaee Is marked by the number or magnitude of abnormalities. The nimlnal Is a diseased person in the sense that he Is abnormal, the stand ard of normality being the attributes most often found in the average man. Criminologists havs for ssvsrat decades heen studying and classifying these abnormalities. It has been demonstrat ed by them that crime Is due to phys leal as well as moral abnormalities, and as a result of this discovery the beat institution, for criminals have become, so to apeak, great hospitals for the cor rection of criminal abnormalities, rath er than penal institutions where society wreaks vengeance upon transgressors. If crime be a disease In the above sense, a premise we accept, then the primal causes of crime are abnormali ties residing In the criminal and crime must be prevented by removing them and checking their propagation. Buch abnormalities originate and are devel oped, as In other diseases, from and bv heredity and environment. Low vitality plays an Important role In criminal history. Most petty crim inals and those guilty of sexual and other crimes of weakness show tow vi tality, which Is usually an Inherited defect. ' They have not eufllclent energy to earn an honest livelihood, nor will power to control themselves, and drift Into pauperism, twin sister of crime, or Into petty crimes. Eighty-two per cent of apprebeoded criminals have accu mulated no property and 25 per cent are of pauper stock. The criminal rolls are swelled by such criminals who have Inherited weak bodies and wills from diseased parents or whose low vitality resulted from the consanguinity of their parents or the Immaturity or de generation of one or both at the time of conception. Ten per cent of appre hended criminate show Insanity or epi lepsy In ancestry and. doubtless, sta tistic, were they at hand, would sHow of crime Is home environment. Ninety, slx per cent of Juvenile criminals come from homes classed as bad. Nearly 55 per cent of criminals are under 20 years of age. and since, unless reformed, they will become habitual .criminals, Juvenile correction becomes most important. In many Instances the home is actually criminal and children are taught crime by precept and example. They are con stantly brought Into contact with llcen- tlousness, drunkenness, brawls and thieving. In other homes, psrhapa the majority, the parents are well-meaning, but through Ignorance, selfishness, pov erty or neglect make criminals of their children. The children And no love nor attention, always seam unwelcome and are often sent away with a cuff or cross words, conditions blighting and de structive to moral development. The home Is ugly, dirty and unattractive and usually the yard Is small and fllthy. Can we wonder that children loathe such homes and wish to stay there as little ae possible? The parents, glad to be rid of them, permit them to run the streets at all hours of the day and night, where they are attracted by the lights and music of theaters and places of amusement, to them a heaven com pared with their homes, where they meet other such boys and become members of a “gang.” The tine qual ities of boy nature, which should lead them to success and good citizenship, are In such associations perverted, be cause misdirected, and they fall Into crime. Their wants are enlarged by desire to enter such places or to treat their fellows and money Is needed to satisfy them. Their parents give them no spending money and, If they are working, even strip them of their earn ings, so they soon resort to theft. Many sordid parents, amply able to support their families, keep their chil dren out of school and put them to work for the small pittance of a salary a child can earn. All ocupatlons of children are trying enough upon their morals, but some are almost sure to swamp them In the gulf of Immorality and crime. Employment In whisky houses, In messenger service. In news paper selling, etc., places the immatpre ntnld temptations, to which even the strong sqccumb. The eiJSrkWcheck crime by the puni tive system in vogue in Georgia, In [ not money, but reformation alone re stores him to respectability. Society would rid Itself of much crime by securing to its less fortunate members their birthright of sanitary homes and sufficient education. Prop erty owners should not be allowed to rent houses which are certain to Im pair the health of tenants too ignorant to recognize the danger. They should be forced to keep their houses In better repair and the yards drained and san itary. Cities, especially in the poorer and crowded sections, should supply parks and play grounds, where chil dren can breathe pure air and get healthy exercise. Until this Is done we cannot expect the children, who. are driven from homo by Irritable parents, to stay off of the streets and out of public places, where they learn the first lessons of crime. The Juvenile court and probation sys. tern • Is the only effective method of dealing with Juvenile criminals. The punitive system, which prevails In Oeorgla, Is an utter failure. The JuJgo of the Juvenile rourl should be relieved of all other duties so that he can de vote tils whole time to the Juventlc offenders, and should be supplied with competent officers. His court room should be as far removed as possible from the Jail and adult court room and stl suggestions of a criminal court avoided. No formal charges should be made against the offender. The Judge should talk with the child in private and learn all ho can about his character and reason for committing the offense. Ills paront- re, health and mental capacity should 1. be considered. If the child can be safely left with Ids parents. It Is wise to put him on probation, after a father ly talk by the Judge. While on pro bation the child must reimn regularly to the probation officer. And It Is the duty of this officer to frequently and unexpectedly visit him In lit* home, to see that proper Influences • surround hint. If necessary, the parents should also be put on probation and required to give proper attention to the child. This system has proved very effective. In some Jurisdictions 95 law cent, of the probationers being reported as "re formed. If the child cannot lie put on probation he is sent to a reformatory school. This reformatory should lie con ducted along the same lines ns the one __i_ . - - 0 . live ejoiFui .in iii uovtsmi »ss uuuni uiuiik mu Biiiiif 11lira tin uir wir dlJZuMd bodies ffi ancestry* ^ d many. di/W In the majority of cases, hereinafter dlscrtbed. but should be (iiieaasa noaies in ancestry. t. -v . . , far removed from the adult reforma- Alcoholltm Is a prolific cause of crime. It produces partial atrophy of the brain, which Is handed down to the children. The brain then becomes too small for Its honey case and brain dls eases result. If this continues through several generations it will lead to Im becility and crime. Forty-three per cent of criminals are of Inebriate fami lies, while 40 per esnt are habitual drunkards. The Influence of heredity Is startlng- ly shown by the history of the "Jukes." The progenerator of the family led a very Irregular life and drank exces sively. Of hia 1,200 descendants, there were 220 paupers, 140 criminals. 250 arrests end trials, 60 habitual thieves, • murderers and murdered, 440 con taminated with loathsome disposes, 20 bastards and prostitutes and 200 pre mature deaths of children. The cost to society of this one family Is com' puted at $1,202,000. Other primal causes of crime may be dossed under environment. Under this head our subject touches nearly every phase of Ilfs. Bad laws, especially those pertain' ing to marriage, divorce and tha pun> lahment of crime and the lax and un fair administration of law Is directly responsible for much crime. Educational neglect or unwise edu cation renders parsons very suscepti ble to evil Influences and less amena ble to the good. The Ignorant have less control over their passions, act on Im pulse and prejudice and are prone to excesses. Ignorance leads to pauperism nnd disease, and they to crime. About 80 per cent of all the criminals In state prisons are untrained men without tradee. In the rapid growth of cities, too, lit tle attention has been paid to sanita tion and health. Impure water, air contaminated by tubercular and other (terms, small and foul yards and dirty houses In which large numbers are crowded regardless of sex, have cre sted conditions fruitful of crime and the more dangerous because they are usually primal rather than Immediate causes, a fact which obscures their na ture. the most Important and prolific cause mqket .'criminals out of offenders or de velops Them Into worse criminals. The 6rl*on4r Is placed In Jail, a cess-pool of vice and degradation, to await .trial. First offenders, children and habitual criminals are not classified and sepa rated, but locked In together where un restricted conversation makes the Jail a school house of crime. At the trial the Judge, using his discretion between a maximum and minimum sentence, imposes ft fixed term, and the convict Is sgmt to a penal Institution, usually composed of a camp of convicts leased by a private citizen. No effort la made to reform the convict: his moral con dition Is of no consequence, but his (Ra pacity for work all Important: no hope Is held out for hfi re-entrance into freedom, should he prove himself re- formed, but on the other hand, the de pressing certainty that, however worthy hs may become of citizenship, he must serve out his term, In company with habitual criminals, the latter being as certain as he of their release at the end of their sentence, regardless of whether or not they are dangerous per sons to turn loose upon' society. He finds no sympathy, no hope, only chains and degradation. The fact, shown by statistics, that most of our criminals repeatedly return to crime. Is proof of ths Inefficiency of the system at cor rective or protective. Advocacy of definite methods of pre vention of crime should follow a dis cussion of Its causes. To prevent the transmission of crimi nal tendencies by heredity, we must reform prospective parents, or when this Is Impossible, and also when they are diseased or Indigent, prohibit their marriage. Our marriage laws shoulc deny license unless the applicant shows that the parties are mature and heatthy enough to produce a self-supporting progeny, that they have reasonable means of supporting a family and that they are not criminals, j The administration of law should be swift and impartial. The criminal In high-places must be shown that he Is more culpable than the petty criminal and that his health and position will not shield him from the lot of other criminals. Society must demand that. far removed from the adult reforms tory. We have heretofore discussed the treatment of criminals outside of penal or reformatory Institutions. Let us now discuss the methods of treating them In such Institutions. There ore three classes of criminals whose treatment Is to be discussed. The first class, consisting of the In sane, epileptic, inebriate or physlcully Infirm, should be sent to Institutions especially equipped for the treatment of these diseases and kept there until cured. Tha second class, consisting of the able-bodied habitual criminals whose cases have proved hopeless under the reformatory method, should be per manently Incarcerated In a separate In stitution. It Is folly to repeatedly re lease a convict, whose conduct renders his return to crime a certainty, at the expiration of an arbitrary number of years. The third class consists of first of' fenders and reformable convicts. AU criminals should be treated by the reformatory method os long as there Is possibility of. reformation. In the first place, the sentence should be Indeterminate, that Is the trial Judse, who has no opportunity of knowing the character and condition of the offender, should merely commit him to the reformatory, leaving the length of term to the discretion of the reformatory officials, who will have ample time nnd means for studying and testing the convict. On entering the Institution he should be examined mentally, morally and physically, the results, together wltli such (lata ns Ills occupation, mode of living, condition and character of parents, etc., should be recorded. The superintendent should then have a long private talk with him, explaining the purpose and methods of the Institution and Impressing upon him that his conduct and proficiency fit work will determine the length of his Imprisonment nnd that society’s pur pose Is not merely to punish him. but to make a good citizen. He Is then as signed to classes tor mentnl training, to the gymnasium, If physical devel opment Is needed, and to the work shops, where he learns a trade nnd supports himself. Much Institutions should be provided with libraries, schools, competent teachers, lecture halls and chapels, gymnasiums and baths, good work-slices, and large grounds for outdoor exercise. There should be. a definite scale of wages, anil each Inmate should be credited with the value of Ills work and made to pay for everything he receives. This will teach .self-reliance. Industry, fru gality and the value of money, which will be valuable In Industrial life. There should be three grades, each differing greatly In the comfort- and privileges appurtenant thereto, to act as an Incentive to good conduct. Thej new-comer Is placed In the second and either.fall Into the third, because of bad conduct or Is, after serving six consecutive months with a perfect rec ord. promoted to the first, where he must again present a perfect report for six consecutive months to win the privileges of probation. He should not be put on probation until employment has been procured for him and he hits saved sufficient of his earning* to pay the expense of reaching the place of employment. He must not change his employment without the consent of the superintendent nnd must report to him. regularly all about his condi tion, earnings, expenditures nnd sav ings. The employer must also report regularly. If he faithfully keeps his parole for six months ho should be given nn absolute release, If not his probation should be prolonged or he should he returned to the reforma tory. The reformatory Is the scientific., cheapest and most effective method of preventing crime. It has proved its efficiency, while the punitive system has shown Its Inadequacy. Statistics show that the return to crime under the reformatory method Is the excep tion, while under the punitive system It Is the rule. The reformatory method treats crime by removing the causes. It checks In herited criminal tendencies hj: restrict ing their transmission; prevents crime resulting from low vitality by build ing up the body: removes the causes of crimes of linpulso and Ignorance by strengthening the will and training the mind, and prevents crime cuused by environment by transforming the old. or -supplanting It by u new and good environment. The reformatory and protmllon sys tem Is the solution to the problem of crime prevention. studehtsmiIsTohary LEAGUE CONVENTION The first annual convention of the Georgia Student*’ Missionary League will be held in Macon, at We* ley an Female College, oft December 7. 8 and 0, and It la expected that a delegation of student* will be on hand from At lanta. An IntereHting program ha* been arranged and the officer* expect Htudeflt* present from all over Oeorgla. President DuPont Ouerry, of Wesleyan, will welcome the delegate*, and ad dresses will also be made by President R V. Jameson, of Mercer, and Rev. Dr. R. K. Douglas, president of the Macon Ministerial Alliance. Thl* league \va* organized after the Student Volunteer convention last sum. mer, and since that time It ha* grown considerably. Student* from all the colleges in Georgia are on It* mem bership rolls, and It Is hoped to cement a Christian union among the student* of Georgia and to promote a spirit of mission*. TWO FOR ONE--- The Georgian 20,000 words a day from all over the world; 300 corre spondents in Georgia and neighboring states simply fat with news. Then think of its Editorial, Sporting, Society and Market Pages— JOHN TEMPLE GRAVES, Editor; PERCY WHITING, Sporting Editor; MRS. GEO. C. BALL Society Editcr; JOS. LIVELY, Market Editor < 25 Year *’ **"'•«*••) THE GEORGIAN CLUBBING OFFER FOR 1906-1907 We will send The Atlanta Georgian and any of the following publications, each one year, for the prices quoted under‘‘Combination Price.,” Old subscribers as well as new subscribers are entitled to take advantage of this liberal offer. Old sub scribers in arrears must pay to date and one year in advance: Name of Regular Georgian Total Combination Save Publication. * Price. Regular Price. Price. Price. You Everybody’s Magazine.. . . $1.50 $4.50 $6.00 $4.80 $1.20 Outing 3.00 4.50 7.50 5.00 2.50 Leslie’s Weekly 4.00 4.50 8.50 6.70 1.80 Judge 5.00 4.50 9.50 8.00 1.50 The Commoner 1.00 4.50 5.50 4.50 1.00 Judge’s Quarterly 1.00 4.50 5.50 4.50 1.00 American Magazine.. .... 1.00 4.50 5.50 4.50 1.00 Golden-Age (Weekly) 2.00 4.50 6.50 5.00 1.50 American Boy 1.00 4.50 5.50 4.50 1.00 The Jeffersonian (Watson’s New Magazine) ...; 1.50 4.50 6.00 4.50 1.50 Good Housekeeping McCall’s Magazine LOO 4.50 5.50 4.50 1.00 .00 4.50 5.10 4.50 .60 Scribner’s Magazine 4.50 7.50 6.00 1.50 /Vinslce’s Magazine 1.80 4.50 6.30 4.85 1.451 The ('oiumoner and The Jeffersonian 2.50 4.50 7.00 5.25 1.75 Smith’s Magazine 1.50 4.50 6.00 4.70 1.30 Popular Magazine. .. .. 1.20 4.50 5.70 4.50 1.20 Country Life in America. . 4.00 4.50 7.50 6.15 1.35 Southern Cultivator 1.00 4.50 5.50 4.50 1.00 Woman’s Home Companion. LOO 4.50 5.50 4.50 1.00 Woman’s Work 1.00 4.50 5.50 4.50 1.00 Garden Magazine . 1.00 4.50 5.50 4.50 1.00 Cosmopolitan i.oo 4.50 , 5.50 4.50 1.00 Cosmopolitan and World 4.50 7.00 5.00 2.00 Cosmopolitan and Harpers’ Bazaar 2.00 4.50 6.50. 4.80 1.20 Cosmopolitan and Woman’s Home Companion ’2.00 4.50 6.50 4.80 1.20 Cosmopolitan and Review of Reviews 4.00 4.50 8.50 5.50 3.00 Cosmopolitan, Review of Reviews and Woman’s Home Companion 5.0C 4.50 9.50 6.65 2.85 Delineator, McClure's Mag azine, World's Work.. .. 6.00 ■ 4)50t > , \ 10.50 6.50 ■4.00 (Single subscriptions must lie taken liv any agent or added to any club at not less than the full list price.)-• / LONG WINTER EVENINGS DEMAND GOOD READING On account of the low subscription rate, subscriptions must be paid in advance. The Georgian can be delivered by carrier in Atlanta or mailed to any address out side of Atlanta under this arrangement. Address all orders with remittances to CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT, THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN, . ATLANTA OA. Than why not get tha “whole family group”—The Delineator, McClure's .Magazine uml The World’s. Work, to gether with The Georgian for $6.50 per year In advance. The price of these magazines alone Is I*. The Oeorgtan Is 14.60. But all of them can be ob tained for u yesr by sending The Georgian now SS..'ft, or you can get The Jeffersonian (Watson's new maga zine) anil The Ueui-ghin eachqine yeur for $4.50. (MISSION RALLY AT WEST END MONDAY President A. McLean, of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society, and Da vid Bloch, of India, a missionary at home on furlough, will conduct a inis- sion rally at the West End Christian church Monday. The morning session will Inst from 10:flo to 12:30. then lunch will he served at the church and the meeting will continue from 2:20 to 4 In the afternoon. Jlev. L. R. Walker nnd Rev. Purser nnd other Atlanta ministers will make short addresses. RAISE CHRI8TMAS FUND FOR,MACON’8 POOR. Kpeelnl to Tbe Georgian. Mneon. Gs.. Nov. 24.—At the meet ing of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, held last night, $2,009 was pased to the credit of the sinking I fund for the purpose of erecting a home. In all there has been $15,000 j deposited In thl* fund, and when tli*-) entire $76,000 I* raised the Elks will J build one of the handsomest club homes In the country. Following thalrl usual custom, the Elks appropriated! •600 to the poor Christmas fund. i • Why do you take a paper into your home that advertises illegitimate practices in medicine and medicines for evil purposes?™Are not such papers aiding the fakirs in their business? The Georgian advertises no medicines for unclean diseases nor any brand of sex doctors. There are honest, law-abiding doctors to go to, and The Georgian is a self-respecting newspaper— THE GEORGIAN FOR THE HOME.