The extent of our prison population depends upon the treatment these young men receive at the hands of the State.
So long as the present treatment prevails, so long will the State be assured of a permanent prison population.
But the evil does not end with the continuance and expense of prison.
The army of the unfit is perpetually increased by this procedure.
Very few of these young men--I think I may say with safety, none of them--after three or four convictions become settled and decent citizens; for they cannot if they would, there is no opportunity.

They would not if they could, for the desire is no longer existent.
We have already preventive detention for older persons, who, having been four times convicted of serious crime, are proved to be "habitual criminals." But hopeless as the older criminals are, the country is quite willing to adopt such measures and bear such expense as may be thought requisite for the purpose of detaining, and perchance reforming them.
But the young men for whom I now plead are a hundred times more numerous and a hundred times more hopeful than the old habitual criminals, whose position excites so much attention.

We must have an oversea colony for these young men, and an Act of Parliament for the "preventive detention" of young offenders who are repeatedly convicted.
A third conviction should ensure every homeless offender the certainty of committal to the colony.

This would stop for ever the senseless short imprisonment system, for we could keep them free of prison till their third conviction, when they should only be detained pending arrangement for their emigration.
The more I think upon this matter the more firmly I am convinced that nothing less will prevail.

Though, of course, even with this plan, the young men who are hopelessly afflicted with disease or deformity must be excluded.