whether it be in a county jail or a convict prison, should most certainly be kept perfectly distinct from ‘second-timers,’ and not on any account be brought into contact with old offenders, who, in too many cases, simply complete their education in vice.”  He further states, in a concise form, what, in his estimation, should be the aim of all penal measures. 1st.  The punishment of those who have transgressed the laws of the country, and the deterring others from crime; 2d.  The getting rid of the troublesome and criminal class of the population; 3d.  The doing of this in the most efficient and least costly way to the tax-paying British public.  He even quotes the opinion that New Guinea would be suitable as a place of disposal for the convict class.  But many and good reasons have been given against shipping off criminals to be pests to other people; this system has been already tried, and failed to a large extent, although it certainly had redeeming features.  Looking at the matter all round, it seems utterly impossible to devise a convict system which shall meet fairly and justly all cases.  Could some system be set in operation which should afford opportunity for the thoughtless and unwary criminal, who has heedlessly fallen into temptation, to retrace his steps and attain once more the height whence he has fallen, it would be a boon to society.  On the other hand, the members of the really criminal class only anticipate liberty in order to use it for fresh crime, for, in their opinion, the shame lies in detection, not in sinning.  What can be done with such but to deal stringently with them as with enemies against society?  This writer can fully bear out Mrs. Fry’s emphatic recommendations as to the imperative necessity that exists for complete separation and classification of the prisoners, in all our penal establishments.  Association of the prisoners, one with another, only carries on and completes their criminal and vicious education.

There is, however, a general consensus of opinion as to the desirability of reformatory, rather than punitive measures, being dealt out to children and very young persons.  This system has, in almost every case, been found to work well.  The authors of The Jail Cradle, Who Rocks It? and In Prison and Out, have dealt with the problem of juvenile crime—­and not in vain.  From the latter work, the following paragraph proves that in this matter, as in many others, Germany is abreast of the age:—­

In Germany, no child under twelve years of age can suffer a penal sentence.  Between twelve and eighteen years of age, youthful criminals are free to declare whether, while committing the offense, they were fully aware of their culpability against the laws of their country.  In every case, every term of imprisonment above one month is carried out, not in a jail, but in an institution specially set apart and adapted for old offenders.  These institutions serve not only for the purpose