Describe the history of juvenile institutions

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• Until the early 1800s, juvenile offenders, as well as neglected and dependent children, were confined in adult prisons.
• The inhumane conditions in these institutions were among the factors that led social reformers to create a separate children's court system in 1899 .
• Early juvenile institutions were industrial schools modeled after adult prisons but designed to protect children from the evil influences in adult facilities.
• The first was the New York House of Refuge, established in 1825 . Not long after this, states began to establish reform schools for juveniles. Massachusetts was the first, opening the Lyman School for Boys in Westborough in 1846 .
• New York opened the State Agricultural and Industrial School in 1849, and Maine opened the Maine Boys' Training School in 1853 .
• By 1900, 36 states had reform schools. Although it is difficult to determine exact populations of these institutions, by 1880 there were approximately 11,000 youths in correctional facilities, a number that more than quadrupled by 1980 .
• Early reform schools were generally punitive in nature and were based on the concept of rehabilitation (or reform) through hard work and discipline.
• In the second half of the nineteenth century, emphasis shifted to the cottage system. Juvenile offenders were housed in compounds of cottages, each of which could accommodate 20 to 40 children.
• A set of parents ran each cottage, creating a homelike atmosphere. This setup was believed to be more conducive to rehabilitation.
• The first cottage system was established in Massachusetts in 1855, the second in Ohio in 1858 . The system was held to be a great improvement over training schools.
• The belief was that by moving away from punishment and toward rehabilitation, not only could offenders be rehabilitated, but also crime among unruly children could be prevented.