Question

Is there a lesson that can be learned from Clarence Darrow’s address to the prisoners in the Cook County Jail?

Answer 1

Clarence Darrow was an attorney; he has given a talk to the prisoners in the Cook County jail in Chicago. He said that he does not believe in crime, he does not make any difference between the people who are inside the jail and those who are outside the jail.

The Moral values of the people inside the jail and those who are free and outside the jail are the same. They have become prisoners because of their situation. Morally if one sees many people are in jail are due to their circumstances, in fact, they have to be outside the jail, and many people are free and enjoying life ought to be in jail.

Everyone wants to be rich; the preacher would preach one to be good in moral, does by being good anybody becomes rich? No, it is the path one adopts; now the one who is in jail had adopted the way they found most suited to them but got caught by the law. In contrast, there are many rich people, who had accumulated wealth by wrong deeds but they are free because they adopted the way, that has saved them from the law.

He told the prisoners that many people are guilty of pickpocketing, but outside in the free world, we get pickpocketed by everyone by paying an extra-fine, extra bill and number of other ways we are pickpocketed, this pickpocketing is not a crime, because it is happening under law.

People inclined to crimes when their needs are not met, or they do not have any other means except taking the law in their hands. The money has the power because the rich man can get a good lawyer, and even after committing the crime he would be not-guilty, and most of the inmate in the jail is poor, they could not afford to have a good lawyer to prove them not-guilty. That means it is the circumstances that keep one criminal inside the jail and another criminal is outside the jail.

People go to jail by choice because they do not have money for long freezing winter nights, or they do not have the cash to buy clothes and food, they know by doing the small crime they can save their bill in winter and have clothes and food during difficult days.

From his talk, we come to know that there is a large difference in society; those who are morally bad are saved because they have money. Secondly, those who have money, good clothes and plenty of foodstuff in their house would not come in the freezing night to commit a crime. It is the need and the situation other than traits people commit crimes because they want to get caught and come to jail at least their needs are met. Secondly, they knew they have no money so they will not have a good lawyer who would bring them out of the jail, they are happy in jail. Because, what will they eat outside? They will again pickpocket and come back to the jail to have food and cloth.

So who is making people criminal, it is the situation, and this situation does not change, thus it becomes the habit and a way to spend their life. Thus one should not blame and call them criminals, because criminals are inside the jail as well outside the jail.