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hollow and puerile enough. It will clothe the memory of the great man with all the memories of the servants of Humanity, whose work he has helped, and whose great company he has joined at last. On this day, in our calendar, we recall the hero-poet of Athens, the glorious Eschylus, who sang the song of the great battle with the Persian host, in which he bore so valiant a part. Methinks we hear again in his drama the chant of the warriors of the Republic, as the ships of the Athenians bore down on the invader: "Sons of the Greeks, come on, to free your country and your wives, your children and your homes!" And in the spirit of this immortal tradition of patriotic defence, let us remember with honour the great citizen who has been borne to the premature grave, wherein were laid the unrevealed future of Danton, and Hoche, and Condorcet, and Carrel.

FREDERIC HARRISON.

DISCHARGED PRISONERS: HOW TO AID

THEM.

THE

HERE are few persons in misfortune who command more general sympathy than discharged prisoners. Occasionally the commiseration is bestowed upon unworthy subjects-those who have no desire to retrieve their characters or to live by the fruits of honest industry, who are radically vicious or idle, irreconcilable enemies to society. For such persons sentences of imprisonment cannot be too long, nor the punishment too severe. When they are at liberty they must be placed under stringent supervision, not indeed of a character to prevent their living honestly, but so strict as to confine their power for evil within the smallest possible compass.

But a very large proportion of those who are daily discharged from her Majesty's convict establishments and local prisons do not come under this category. Many of them have infringed the criminal law under circumstances not in themselves excusable, but not evincing that moral cancer which pervades the whole nature of an habitual criminal. It is hard to say how we ourselves should have acted under like temptation, or what we should have done to find means to meet the distress which drives so many to crime. It is for this class of offenders that societies formed for the assistance of discharged prisoners principally exist. The aid they are able to extend to deserving cases is not only of advantage to the individual, but of great service to the State.

The difficulties with which a person once convicted has to contend are enormous. It is impossible for the general public, or, indeed, for his immediate kindred, to take cognizance of the peculiar facts of the case. He has been in prison, and that is enough. His employment, his friends, have disappeared; his home is broken up; none will associate with him; he undergoes his punishment over and over again

in the fear of his antecedents being discovered. True, this is part of the unwritten sentence of the law, and it is well that it is so. I would not for one moment diminish the consequences of crime. On the contrary, I would increase them if it were possible. The certainty and severity of punishment are alone capable of exercising a deterrent influence, not only upon the criminal mind, but upon the mind. assailed with passing temptations. What the public might sacrifice, in money, by the increase and improvement of the police, and in the curtailment of a pernicious liberty to purchase stolen goods, would be amply compensated for by the diminution of crime and the increased security of property.

It is upon this principle, which has been recognized by every judge who has administered the laws of England-namely that the prevention of crime is far more desirable than its detection or punishment-that assistance to well-disposed discharged prisoners is a matter of national concern. I have drawn no exaggerated picture of the life of one who bears the prison taint. Unaided he cannot find work, he cannot get a fresh start. Opportunity to retrieve his character he has none. He must eat to live, and, cut off from all ordinary sources of livelihood, in order to eat he steals. Once re-embarked on a criminal career, the voyage is for life; and he who, with timely help, might have become a useful citizen, is left a permanent burden upon the country. It is, therefore, on this ground mainly that I claim for Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies a public utility second to

none.

Let me briefly consider the position of the associations in the Metropolitan Police District. There are eleven different societies devoting their resources exclusively to the assistance of discharged prisoners. The Tables on the opposite page give a rough summary of their work and resources.

In point of the number of societies assisting discharged prisoners, London has every reason to be satisfied. But, without in any way disparaging the excellent character of the work done by each association, it may be open to some question whether the maximum amount of benefit is derived from the resources available. The balancesheets are not in all cases so clear as might be desired, and it is not quite satisfactory to find that the establishment expenses absorb a sum so nearly equivalent to the amount expended in relief, although in several cases it would appear to cover the cost of keeping the discharged prisoners in refuges or other houses. Taking the cases assisted at 4,310, according to Table I., we find that each case costs on an average about £4 6s. 9d. This, in itself, would not perhaps be excessive, supposing some real good to have been accomplished in a fair proportion of instances. But the number of 4,310 cases is of itself unreliable, because many of the societies work

TABLE I,

Return of the Income and Expenditure during the Years indicated of Metropolitan Societies, &c., established for the Assistance of Discharged Prisoners.

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Return showing in what manner Aid was rendered to Discharged Prisoners by the undermentioned Societies in the above years.

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NOTE.-These returns are compiled from statistics of a very varied and apparently unreliable character, especially with reference to the female refuges. Those about which there is no doubt are the Royal Society, the St. Giles's Mission, and the Sheriff's Fund. Either obtained work, were sent to sea, or assisted to emigrate.

together, and the same beneficiary is recorded in the books of the two societies. Indeed, instances have occurred of plausible men making a complete round of the societies for males, obtaining temporary assistance from each, and then endeavouring to obtain alms from the chaplains of prisons, and lastly from the poor-box of one or more police courts.

The St. Giles's Christian Mission, frequently assisted by the Sheriffs' Fund, takes, perhaps, the greatest pains to avoid being imposed upon, while it is always ready to assist in a deserving case. The prisoners are invited to breakfast upon leaving Coldbath Fields, and then all who are anxious to have the assistance of the Mission in obtaining work can at once lay their cases before Mr. Wheatley, the secretary, whose success in dealing with them is extraordinary. Those who wish can, until they obtain employment, find board and lodging in the mission-houses, where they are removed from the evil influences of old companions. Then when a situation is found, frequent inquiry is made to ascertain whether the individual's conduct is satisfactory. His career is subsequently followed up as far

as possible.

A large number of male discharged prisoners are returned by several of the societies as "sent to sea." This is the least satisfactory method of accounting for them, as in reality it rarely means more than a temporary berth upon a coasting vessel, which is very likely abandoned at the first port. It is a favourite employment with many who have learnt in prison that it is the easiest way of obtaining pecuniary aid and a good outfit, and, best of all, offers the greatest opportunity for evading the provisions of the Prevention of Crimes Acts, which require those subject to them to report themselves periodically to the police. The latter remark also applies to those who are "assisted to leave the district."

Although it is more difficult to obtain private employment for women than for men, inasmuch as they can rarely fill other than domestic situations, into which there is a natural hesitation to admit them, female discharged prisoners find long continued shelter in the several refuges, where they are profitably engaged in laundry work. The cost of this accounts for the apparent excessive proportion of establishment expenses in the Prison Mission and other institutions for females.

I think that much benefit might be derived by some consolidation of these establishments; and my opinion is even stronger as regards the societies assisting convicts on license and male discharged prisoners. I do not pretend to say upon what basis such concentration of resources and action might be carried into effect; but if a conference could be brought together to discuss the matter in a friendly spirit, I feel sure that very great good might be done. If,

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