Mr. Turner on Crimes and Punijhments. 337 



foUMry confinement (affording him opportunities 

 of refledion, breaking him from the fociety of 

 his old companions, &:c.) has been fufficiently 

 fliewn by the excellent Mr. Howard, in his 

 Siate of the Prifons in Holland. * 



But the bea method, where it can be done, 

 of amending our penal code, is to take away all 

 occafion for its fevere inftitutions, by pre- 

 venting, as much as pofTible, the crimes they 

 reftrain from being committed i or in other 

 words, by having recourfe to fuch previous 

 expedients, j as fhall remove every profpedl of 

 advantage from their commifilon. Thus,-while 

 no other precautions were ufed to prevent the 

 coining of gold, than the making it a capital crime, 

 the offence grew every day more frequent; but,' 

 as foon as the late regulations refpeding gold 

 coin took place, which entirely preclude" every 



* See particularly his ftory of th, Jhoe-maker, who always 

 drank the health of his friends, the mafters cf the Rafp- 

 houfe, for teaching him fobriety and induftry. 



t Laws which only take effeft a pofteriori, and propofe 

 the prevention of crimes by cutting off the delinquent 

 will never reform ; whereas prudent provifions to correct 

 tae morals, and proper panifhments to counteraft the 

 principles of criminality, will have fure and lafting eff^fts 

 Without fuch provifions, we may be making perpetual 

 aherat,ons, but fhall in vain expect any falutaiy effeds; 

 we mall rcfemble thofe patients who are always taking 

 pl-yfic. but will not alter their bad diet, and intemperate 

 modes of living. Crim. Law, p. XIX. 



Vol. II. 7 [, r, 



^ profpei5l. 



