could scarcely apply in personal contact with another individual.

In addition to the general atmosphere of fear, isolation and hopelessness produced by the architecture and psychology of the prison, there is the even worse situation generated by the usual method of handing over much of control and operation of the prison to certain selected prisoners or "trusties," with the resultant cliques, favoritism, corruption. and cruelty which this system produces. The results are bound to be evil in any event.

If the prisoner "plays the game" and aligns himself with one of these inner gangs based on special favoritism and on "snitching" or "squealing" on his fellow prisoners, he may get along fairly well in prison, but instead of being trained to become a decent citizen he is getting the most effective anti-social, and contemptible --even criminal conduct.

On the other hand, if he refuses to co-operate with the scheme of prison politics he is helpless, unprotected, and the legitimate prey of any who desire to secure favors by passing on false stories about him to the prison authorities, who are usually themselves involved in the system of intrigue and conspiracy which honeycombs the whole institution.

Our penal system, then, far from promoting reformation and rehabilitation, results either in the most efficient training in crookedness, corruption and intrigue or in the gradual but certain breakdown of the body and mind of the prisoner.

The sexual results of prison life have been practically ig-

nored by criminologists, pe nologists and reformers. If sufficient space were afforded I could describe in detail the numerous and varied psychoses which psychiatrists have demonstrated to be the result. of our penal system. If one were to plan an institution designed to promote sexual degeneracy he would arrive at our present prisons.

If the criminal's art is irational, then society's instinctive reaction to it is equally irrational. The old-time criminologists accepted the current scheme of punishments, but tried to purge it of reyenge. They found out quickly that revenge is an essential part of our present justice, for no criminal would ever be brought to court if there were not somebody in the background full of strong feeling against him.

Properly planned and administered a prison could be a good thing, but it should not be the institution which has passed under the name of prison to the present time. We are not, we hasten to add, contending that society can afford to ignore criminal conduct. But we are endeavoring to make clear that our present penal system is ineffective.

Years ago in England, they hanged men for a large number of crimes, among them pocket-picking. In "Crucibles of Crime," Fishman states: "Executions were public, and so many persons engaged in picking the pockets of those who attended hangings for pocket-picking that the authorities were forced to abandon public executions."

When men men pick pockets while watching others being hanged for the same offence, what little deterrent effect punishment has, can easily be

seen.

Reprinted from JUSTICE WEEKLY

one

8