
This compact volume presents a measured appeal for a more humane view of those who break the law. It invites listeners to set aside prejudice and consider the criminal as a complex human being, asking why he acts as he does and what possibilities exist for his reintegration into society. The author argues that true justice lies not in vengeance but in understanding, even when confronting the most disturbing cases.
Drawing on the insights of leading criminologists and reformers from Europe and America, the work critiques a penal system that favours punishment over rehabilitation. It explains how a reform‑oriented approach, though demanding, can lift offenders toward a higher moral footing, offering society a chance to reduce recidivism. Listeners will come away with a clearer picture of the ethical stakes involved in how we treat crime and the promise of compassionate, evidence‑based solutions.
Full title
A Plea for the Criminal Being a reply to Dr. Chapple's work: 'The Fertility of the Unfit', and an Attempt to explain the leading principles of Criminological and Reformatory Science
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (262K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Jonathan Ah Kit, Barbara Kosker, Mark C. Orton, Victoria University of Wellington College of Education (Gender and Women's Studies Programme) and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2009-04-29
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1873–1944
Best known for a humane early-20th-century argument about crime and punishment, this New Zealand clergyman wrote with unusual sympathy for people on society’s margins. His most notable book pushed back against harsh ideas of the day and called for a more thoughtful, reform-minded approach.
View all books