Mechanics and Crime.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6268, 15 July 1890, Page 3

Mechanics and Crime.

It is a significant fact that out of the 1060 prisoners in the Eastern Penitentiary of Pennsylvania, only 19 are mechanics. This is a strong argument in fevour of mechanics as an elevator of public morale. The percentage of men engaged in mechanical pursuits to the entire male population is large, yet they are less than 5 per cent, of the persons in this institution, and the proportion is said to be about the same in others, who are mechanics by training. Instead of trying to impress upon them the repeated saying of Horace Greeley, ‘Go west, young man,’ it might be well t > advise more of -them to learn trades as a prevention of crime and immorality. For the above reason, and from the further fact of the organised effort to limit the employment of apprentices, the • Scientific American ’ suggests the establishment of private and public industrial schools where boys may be taught trades —such as carpentering, brick and stone masonry, moulding all branches of ironwork, etc. • There can be no question but that not only mechanical employment, but all kinds of labour, both, manual and menta', lessens both crime and sickness. Let us, then, give the boys a chance to earn an honest living, even though it be largely at public expense.