One of the first things he read by Altgeld was a short book entitled “Our Penal Machinery and its Victims.” Published in 1886, the book was an attempt to change prevailing attitudes toward crime, and although Altgeld rejected the current explanations that viewed crime as due to the innate sinfulness of criminals he also called for a closer examination of the causes of criminal behavior (Joshi, 2005). The book impressed Darrow and he would remember its influence on him for a long
One of the first things he read by Altgeld was a short book entitled “Our Penal Machinery and its Victims.” Published in 1886, the book was an attempt to change prevailing attitudes toward crime, and although Altgeld rejected the current explanations that viewed crime as due to the innate sinfulness of criminals he also called for a closer examination of the causes of criminal behavior (Joshi, 2005). The book impressed Darrow and he would remember its influence on him for a long