Juvenile offenders : a report based on an inquiry instituted by the Committee of the Howard Association, 1898 / with contributions from the Right Hon. Lord Rookwood [and others].

Howard Association (London, England)

Date:: 1898

Credit: Juvenile offenders : a report based on an inquiry instituted by the Committee of the Howard Association, 1898 / with contributions from the Right Hon. Lord Rookwood [and others]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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$In the first place, public opinion (supported by official concurrence) has, in general, disapproved the imprisonment of childreii, unless in very exceptional cases. Secondly, there is a growing and well-founded feeling that the large number of commitments to costly Reformatories and Industrial Schools has often acted as an encouragement to reckless and drunken parents to endeavour to throw their offspring upon the honest taxpayer for support. Hence, again, many Magistrates are increasingly reluctant to foster such abandonment of parental duty. Thirdly, the infliction of Whipping, as an alternative for either the Prison or the Reformatory, whilst finding advocates amongst many humane persons, is yet stoutly opposed by others, and has not found favour with Parliament. Fourthly, a recourse to Fines (through frequent inability to pay them) leads to a majority of the actual imprisonments of children. The First Offenders Act, the use of which is very desirable whenever it can be suitably resorted to, has often sufficed to check further trangression by those thus dealt with. But valuable as such simple admonition is proved to be, yet, in exceptional cases it may be inapplicable. The combined influence of all these circumstances has tended ta produce a sense of impunity amongst many young persons, who have in some localities banded together, committing depredations and assaults (aL times, even with the aid of pistols), thus becoming nuisances to their neighbourhoods, and whom even the Police (in the absence of decided magisterial support) have appeared unable effectually to restrain. Several practical authorities inform the Howard Association that they are now uncertain as to the best course to adopt in this embar- rassing state of affairs. It has therefore been suffsested that the Committee of the Howard Association might render a useful service, if they could collect the opinions of some experienced Magistrates, and others, in reference to this matter, with a view to the publication of, at least, the general conclusions indicated by the replies which may be furnished. The Committee will be pleased to be favoured with a brief expression of your own opinion on this subject, if it is agreeable to you to communicate it. I am, Sir, Very respectfully yours, FRANCIS PEEK, Chah’man of the Committee, {^Please address replies to Mr. William Tallack, Secretary, 5, Bishopsgate Without, London, E.C.]$