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The Long And Short Sentence Of Criminals

The Long And Short Sentence Of Criminals image
Parent Issue
Day
28
Month
September
Year
1887
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

To pólice justlees inri those exereising like jurisdU-tion: I.'i'nsinLr, Aujriist 20.- It 8 certiiin tliat a larsíe propurtion of the persons convicted before you are arrestetl under the disorderly act. A lurge tiumber of these are old otlenders, are chronic cases. As a rule they are fined a sniall 8um or imprtnoad a few days. Thlt is rrpoated year by year until we find soiue hare been in llie Detroit house of correction 57 times, aud at IoDta it was as bad until the gtatute prohibited semliiiii persons there in disorderly persons and lor less than 90 days. It requires but llttle experience to con vinceanyone tliat email linea and short terina not only do not improve or iletur this clas, but hardens, brutali7.es ftd confirma tliem In tlieir criminal comiso. Especially in this the case with wonien. A second or tliinl conviction usually puts this class beyond hope, unless put under restraint loni; enoujli to restore their moral strenth. The short sentence simply permits of a p:irtial recoyery from tlie effects of dissipatlon. The same principie applies to like 8entences to county jails of this claas. Such sentences are a libe! on justice and can only tend to make crimináis. This class of ehronie disorderlies shonld be kept for a term of years, then there would be some chance for reform. Even If not reformed, they would be kept sober, made to work, kept out of the hands of the saloon keepers, constables and courts, out of siglit- which all woik in the dlrection of relorm. We cali your atteution to these views, ask your careful conslderation of thein and urffe you to apply the rcinedy so far :im the statute has %ven you the power. The disorderly act authorizes you to send those thric'c or more times convicted to prUon for one year- convicted twice, six months. We urjie upon you tliat as to all chronic c.ises, you cease all fines, and sentence In all cases to the full term ot the law. The state will be the galner in the matter of expense, and we belicve in this way nitich improved and some reformed. 1) not let svmimthy or scntlinent:ility

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News