125 



In conclusion, Mr. Robberds suggested, as a substitute 

 for capital punishment, corrective discipline, separation from 

 bad company, and regular labour — such treatment, in short, 

 as "will most tend to reform and restore the offender, whilst 

 it presents a formidable and certain prospect to those whose 

 tastes and habits are wild, dissolute, and criminal. 

 Especially should young 1 offenders be thus treated. If all 

 were reformed after the first offence crime would be greatly 

 prevented. Provision should likewise be made for their 

 maintenance by honest labour when released, whereas 

 at present they were too often compelled to return to 

 their old ways for bread. But the true prevention of 

 crime would be the education of the now neglected classes 

 of the community. Such prevention would be not only 

 better than cure, but far easier and less costly than the 

 present bungling attempts at cure. Crime could be 

 effectually prevented only by infusing good dispositions. 

 By the system hitherto adopted it would appear as if society 

 had a relish for crime, and preserved it, like game, for the 

 toilsome and expensive sport of hunting it down. If the 

 people were educated and offenders reformed, at a small 

 proportion of the expense now incurred in the cumbrous 

 apparatus of penal law, crime would be greatly prevented, 

 and all men, including criminals themselves, would love and 

 revere the institutions of their country and feel that they 

 were under a truly paternal Government. 



The above is an outline of the topics treated in the paper 

 at considerable length, some of which were afterwards 

 discussed by different members of the society. 



