Transcriber’s Note: The cover image was created from thetitle page by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
SUGGESTIONS
FOR THE
PREVENTION OF
JUVENILE DEPRAVITY,
BY
ONE OF HER MAJESTY’S JUSTICES OF THE PEACE FOR THE
COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX.
Printed for Private Distribution only.
1846.
London:
PRINTED BY H. COURT, 26, BROOKE STREET, HOLBORN.
For the prevention of Juvenile Depravity, andthe consequent diminution of the heavy Burthens cast,first, upon private Individuals by numerous petty Thefts,and lastly, upon the County by the oft repeated Arrests,Examinations, Committals, Prosecutions, and Imprisonmentsof Juvenile Offenders.
For many years the public mind has been trained tobelieve that an improved Prison Discipline was the Panaceafor the prevention of crime, and it is only necessary to pointto that valuable and most excellent Institution at Parkhurstto shew how earnestly (so far as regards Juvenile Delinquency)men of the first Station and the first Talent of the day,seconded by the powerful aid of the Legislature have devotedthemselves to the subject, for it is impossible for an enlightenedstatesman to view the deeply-dyed depravity which existsamong the Children of the lower orders, and not feel that noGovernment deserves the proud title of a Paternal Governmentthat can allow such a state of things to continue, ifany remedy can be suggested.
The opinions which I have ever held on this subject haveremained unaltered amidst all the various changes that havetaken place in the Public mind, on the subject of PrisonDiscipline, the degrading home Slavery of the Hulks, andthe awful severance of all natural ties by transportation to[4]distant climes. I have ever held all these to be ineffectualfor the purpose of raising the moral standard of a greatNation, and still more ineffectual in promoting that socialand domestic happiness which ought to be the bond ofUnion of an enlightened and Christian People. Nevertheless,I have not hesitated to put my shoulder to the wheel, andhave laboured hard to improve our system of Prison Discipline,believing that we shall always have criminals to dealwith, but deeply impressed also with the conviction that it ismore consistent with the views of Christianity and commonsense, that our exertions should be directed to the preventionof crime, especially among the young, than to the correctionof criminals, who have been allowed by our present systemto become enured to the commission of it.
A most interesting investigation which I have been latelycarrying on as a Visiting Justice of the House of Correctionat Cold Bath Fields, justifies me in predicting that whenmore is done to prevent crime than to punish it, our laboursto diminish the burthens on the county purse will be crownedwith far happier results than any we can