Introductory Report to the Code of Prison Discipline, 1827

Book excerpt: Excerpt from Introductory Report to the Code of Prison Discipline, 1827: Explanatory of the Principles on Which the Code Is Founded, Being Part of the System of Penal Law, Prepared for the State of Louisiana The following pages form the introduction to the Code of Prison Discipline, being the concluding part of a system of penal law, prepared by Mr. Livingston, for the State of Louisiana, in pursuance of a law of that state; under which he was appointed to the novel and highly honourable task which he has just concluded for the second time; after having, about two years ago, lost by an accidental fire, his first manuscript and all his notes. The whole system, (consisting of a Code of crimes and punishments, a Code of procedure, a book of Definitions, and a Code of Prison Discipline,) has been presented for the consideration of the Legislature, and copies have been distributed by the author, with the laudable view of obtaining suggestions for the improvement of his plan. But this circulation being necessarily very limited; the Editors have been induced, without any view to profit, to offer this edition to the public, from a persuasion, that the views developed in the introduction, contained matter that deserved the serious attention of their fellow citizens, more particularly as the review of the Penal Code of this State, will occupy the attention of the Legislature at the next session. Should this introduction receive the public patronage, they will publish the Code of Prison Discipline, as the part that involves the deepest interest, and on the Efficacy of which the whole system seems to rest. The introductory report to the whole system, and the other codes of which it is composed, have excited some attention in different parts of Europe; where several Editions in different languages have been published; but as the work is of considerable magnitude, the Editors cannot yet pledge, themselves to offer an Edition of it to the public. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.