JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND THE SYSTEM

12 Pages 2997 Words

he juvenile justice system and its process up to the parole and probation











During the 1700’s, one of the earliest private agencies in London to become interested in retrieving delinquent boys was the Marine Society. No single individual can claim the definite honor of founding this civilization, but Jonas Hanway, an eccentric London philanthropist and Sir John Fielding, blind magistrate, both contributed substantially of their services in getting the infant Society started and in smooth working order (Simonsen, 1991, p. 10).
In London, Sir John Fielding recognized and began a model of what had to become a group home called a House of Refuge for Orphan Girls. The purpose of this home was to rescue nomadic girls from almost certain lives of prostitution. Public asylums for the children of convicts and other destitute or neglected children, such as that founded by the Philanthropic Society in London were proposed in 1786. Records from the report of the Select Committee Appointed by the House of Commons, were concerned with establishing a new police in the metropolis, show that between 1787 and 1797, 93 delinquent children were transported for crimes from England to Australia. During transportation, the children were kept in confinement upon various decrepit ships that took them from their native land (Simonsen, 1991, p. 11).
According to Simonsen (1991), transportation for life was recommended for growing number of juvenile delinquents. However, imprisonment for children, while frowned upon by early social reformers, did exist, although the social reformers had a hand in changing some of the more deplorable conditions of the time, including the treatment and confinement of young criminals. The Warwick County Asylum was instituted in 1818, was the result of the united endeavors and generous contributions of concerned, benevolent citizens. This asylum was available to criminal boys whom were placed where they can...