To remove the criminal tendencies revolutionizes the released pris-
oner's relations to his social contact and to industry; to ch.inge from
bad 10 good his influence upon his associates involves his reformation
and right placing for self-support ; and to rescue a criminal from the
predatory to the productive class usually regulates his behavior in
society, and, by restraining his wrong impulses, repressing their activ-
ity, tends to root them out. Idleness for prisoners operates to con-
firm their criminal characteristics, — contributing to crimes, intensi-
fying their hurtful influence when released, — and unnecessarUy in- '
creases the burden of their support. It would be better for society
to release prisoners immediately upon their conviction than thus 10
treat and Ihm release them. Prison labor, then, must be so applied
as actually to prepare the prisoner in his mind, in his productive
power, and to procure him a place in honest industry for which he
was not prepared when committed to prison. This principle should
be at Ihe basis of any and all plans for prison industries ; namely,
the use of labor for reformative results.
