25 years of age, and a very considerable number of both sexes between the ages of 9 and 16. None of these have been actually charged with crime, or indicted and arraigned for trial. It includes those only, who are taken up as vagrants, who can give no satisfactory account of themselves;-children, who profess to have no home, or whose parents have turned them out of doors and take no care of them,-beggars and other persons discovered in situations which imply the intention of stealing, and numbers who were found sleeping in the streets or in stables. These miserable objects are brought to the Police Office under suspicious circumstances,and, according to the result of their examinations, they are sentenced as before mentioned. Many of these are young people on whom the charge of crime cannot be fastened, and whose only fault is, that they have no one on earth to take care of them, and that they are incapable of providing for themselves. Hundreds, it is believed, thus circumstanced, eventually have recourse to petty thefts; or, if females, they descend to practices of infamy, in order to save themselves from the pinching assaults of cold and hunger. The list furnished us, affords numerous instances, especially of females, who request to be sent to the Penitentiary, as a favor-as their only resource and refuge from greater evils. The District Attorney, in the explanations which accompany his abstract, observes, "that many of each description might be "saved from continued transgression, no one can doubt, who will "examine the statement that I have made from the records of the "Police Office for the year 1822. This abstract contains the names "of more than 450 persons, male and female, none over the age "of 25, many much younger, and some so young as to be presumed "incapable of crime. "All these have been convicted by the Police Magistrates as "disorderly persons, and imprisoned as such. "Many others not mentioned, have been discharged, from an "unwillingness to imprison, in hope of reformation, or under pe"culiar circumstances. "Many notorious thieves, infesting the city, were at first idle, "vagrant boys, imprisoned for a short period to keep them from "mischief. A second and a third imprisonment is inflicted, the "prison becomes familiar and agreeable, and at the expiration of "their sentence, they come out accomplished in iniquity. "I have already mentioned," observes the District Attorney, "that this statement does not include prisoners, indicted and tried "at the Court of Sessions. At each term of the Court (the terms "are once a month,) the average number of lads arraigned for pet"ty thefts, is five or six; and I regret to state, that lately high "crimes have been perpetrated in several instances, by boys not "over 16, who, at first, were idle, street vagrants, and, by degrees, "thieves, burglars, and robbers." From further information it appears, that about 60 persons are, upon an average, indicted and arraigned at each term of the Court of Sessions, for misdemeanors and felonies; and that out of this number, four or five are boys under sixteen years of age. A large proportion of them, amounting to fifty or sixty per annum, are found guilty and condemned, either to the City or State Penitentiary, there to associate with others more hardened in crime, and who are ever ready to impart their instructions in the arts of deception and wickedness. It is now generally admitted, that in none of our prisons,-in the Bridewell,--the City Penitentiary-or the State Prison-as they are at present constructed, and conducted, is it possible to introduce those subdivisions, and restrictive regulations, which are absolutely essential to the prevention of mutual contamination, and independently of which, the prospect of reformation is really preposterous. In the City Prison or Bridewell, it is not only impossible to separate the juvenile offenders from those that are old in crime, but the rooms are so small, and very often so crowded, as to produce an atmosphere both physically and morally disgusting in a high degree, and certainly adapted to the debasement of every virtuous sentiment, and almost inevitably ruinous to the natural sensibilities of youth. The condition of this prison, in our estimation, calls loudly for the attention of the police; and were its actual condition known to the citizens of the neighborhood, we think the notice of Grand Juries would be often directed to it, as a nuisance, disreputable to the character of the city. In rooms about eighteen feet square, there are often thirty or forty persons, confined together without any discrimination except that of sex and color-boys of nine years of age and upwards, sharing the same dismal fare, and mingling in conversation with aged villiany,-and girls of ten or twelve exposed to the company and example of the most abandoned of the sex. This prison has no yard excepting for the use of the keeper. The prisoners' rooms have no outlet whatever, not even by pipes or conduits, and no ventilation excepting by the door and windows. The convicts in these small, close rooms, are employed in picking oakum. The period of confinement is from a few days to a year or more, and it is not unusual for them to remain several months. The present keeper, Mr. Thorpe, evidently conducts the prison with as strict an attention to cleanliness and order, as the construction of the house and the nature of his charge will admit; but both in verbal and written communications to the committee, he states unequivocally his opinion of the impossibility of classifying the prisoners in the present confined and very imperfect building, and the consequent injury to the morals of juvenile offenders. "The number of boys," he observes, "committed to "this prison, as nearly as it can fairly be estimated, is from three "to four hundred in the course of a year, and at one time from six "to nine. They are committed generally for trifling offences, such as vagrancy, misdemeanors, &c. and some for petit and very few "for grand larcenies. The proportion that are committed here for "the second and third time, is about two-thirds of the whole, chief"ly owing to a want of residence, or a return from transportation, or an escape from the Alms-house. This prison," he adds, "is so constructed that there can be no suitable place for the confine"ment of this class of prisoners, separate from old and hardened "offenders, with which it generally abounds; and what induces or 'leads them to the commission of crime, is the education they re"ceive from the before mentioned offenders. There have been a "multiplicity of instances where boys have been sent here as va"grants, destitute of parents, &c. and have either been discharged, 66 66 66 66 "transported, or sent to the Alms-House, and have returned char"ged with crime, and when examined, they have proved to have "had or received their education in this prison. They are confi"ned with old and hardened offenders, by day and night, because "the prison is so constructed that it will not admit of keeping them "otherwise." It may well be submitted to the judgment of a discerning public, whether an exposure of a few weeks, or even of a few days, to such company and fare as are here represented, is not sufficient to suppress, in youthful minds, all virtuous emotions; to reconcile the feelings to a life of guilt, and even of suffering, shame, and degradation. Sleeping upon the bare floor, without covering, or at best with only a coarse and dirty blanket, they soon learn to brave the exposure, and to disregard the privation. That an institution of this nature, in a building so entirely inadequate to its object, and exhibiting so much that is repulsive to the senses, and deplorable in moral regulation, should be suffered to occupy one of the most prominent and beautiful situations in the city, we cannot but consider as a reflection upon the humanity and public spirit of our citizens; and we indulge the hope, that the period is not distant, when the city prison will be removed to a situation of greater seclusion, and erected upon a plan which will admit of every facility for cleanliness, ventilation, classification, employment, and perfect inspection. The Penitentiary at Bellevue, three miles from the City Hall, is destined for convicts from the city, whose period of confinement does not exceed three years. This prison, though comparatively of modern erection, does not, we regret to say, possess those requisites for convenient distribution, employment, instruction, moral government and easy inspection, which the present improved plans for prisons so readily afford. The boys, it is true, are here separated from the old offenders; but this, though it is the first important step in classification, is entirely insufficient to answer the desired end of reformation. No principle of our common nature is better established, than that "evil communications corrupt good manners." It is certainly as necessary, in order to preserve the moral sensibilities of youth, to keep them from the society of corrupt persons of their own age and class, as it is from the company of older criminals. Boys imitate each other, both in virtue and in vice, more naturally and more rapidly than they do those who are much their superiors in age. They may not, indeed, receive from each other, such profound lessons in the science of crime, nor hear from the lips of their equals, observations, which will tend so effectually to blast every germ of compunctive feeling, and establish the guilty soul in the principles of infidelity and misanthropy; but with associates of their own cast, they will more readily assimilate, and their initiation in depravity may prove the more certain. It is well known, that when vagrant children are taken up, on their first offence, and threatened with imprisonment, they frequently evince great penitence and contrition, entreat forgiveness on the promise of better conduct, and deprecate a confinement in gaol with cries of distress and horror. But a familiarity with the company they find there, soon wears off this repugnance, and renders a second conviction a thing of comparative indifference. Hence, to convert a prison into a real Penitentiary, there ought to be, in a collection even of juvenile offenders, at least half a dozen different classes, not regulated by age; for it is obvious that a prisoner of eighteen may be far less guilty, less hardened, and more open to the visitations of remorse and shame, than others of twelve or fourteen, The divisions should therefore depend upon an experimental inquiry into their moral character and dispositions, and a knowledge of their previous habits. The most important facts relative to the Bellevue prison, as connected with the objects of this report, will be best understood from the following answers of Arthur Burtis, Esq., superintendent of that extensive establishment, to questions sent to him from this committee. Ques. 1. What number of boys are sent to the Penitentiary in the course of a year, and of what ages; and what is the average number at one time in the prison? Ans. The average number of boys sent to the Penitentiary for the last three years, has been seventy-five per year, from twelve to sixteen years old. The average at one time in the house is about thirty-five. Ques. 2. For what offences generally are they imprisoned? Ques. 3. What proportion of them are sent there for the second or third time? Ans. About one-half are in for the second and third time; but it is impossible to be exact, as the same boys come in by so many different names. Ques. 4. How far are the boys instructed? Ans. They are taught the catechism, and to read and write. Ques. 5. How far are they put to labor, in the Penitentiary? Ans. We have not put them to labor, except a part in the Pin Factory. Ques. 6. What effect has the present treatment upon them, in reference to their reformation and future usefulness? Ans. The effect of their present condition is deplorable. Instead of reformation, they must become worse, as we are compelled to put a boy for his first, perhaps small crime, with the old offender, if not in years, in crime, in the same room. Ques. 7. What proportion of them are destitute of parents, or other persons to take charge of them? Ans. About two-thirds have one or more parents, but in almost every case their parents have taken very little or no care of them. Ques. 8. As far as you have experience, what is the origin, or what leads to the commission of offences by boys of those ages? Ans. The principal cause of Juvenile Delinquency, is, first, the bad example they have from their parents and guardians; when small, they are allowed to run at large without restraint. No child will be a vagrant, if put and kept steadily to a well-regulated school, but for a few-years.-But the reason why their parents will not send them, is, the encouragement which our citizens give, (and no doubt from the best motives,) to begging. When a poor child calls at a gentleman's house for a little cold victuals, who can refuse, when they have it, and especially, since, if not given it must be thrown away? But if our citizens were aware of the evil, I am sure they would make a universal stop. I can not learn of one child that has been in the habit of begging, who has not turned out a prostitute, or vagrant; and their begging serves only to keep their parents in idleness and profligacy for they find it so profitable, that, if they have one or two good begging children, (as they term it,) it is all they want; all they can get by other means, goes for drink. Another cause, is, sending small children round the docks, under the pretence of picking chips, and whatever they can find; in peddling small articles on board of sloops, and through the streets, &c. These habits introduce them into bad company, and prove an almost certain cause of their ruin. It is hoped that they may be discountenanced by all good citizens. Ques. 9. What proportion of them can read and write, at the time of their committal? Ans. About one in eight. Ques. 10. How far are the boys separate from old offenders by day and by night? Ans. They are kept entirely separate, except a few who are in the Pin Factory, and they are under the care of a keeper. From the exposition thus given of the subjects referred to their consideration, the Committee cannot but indulge the belief, that the inference which will be drawn by every citizen of New-York, from the facts now laid before him, will be in perfect accordance with their own,-that it is highly expedient that A HOUSE OF REFUGE FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENTS, should, as soon as practicable, be established in the immediate vicinity of this city. The subject presents itself to the minds of your Committee, as one of the deepest importance. Such a proposition appears to us to come forward at the present time, clothed with all the authority which can be derived from considerations not only of humanity, of mercy, of christian tenderness, and parental feeling; but of a due regard for the honor and reputation of this metropolis. To suffer such a building as the present Bridewell to remain in activity for a single year, after the appalling facts have been fairly disclosed of its total inadequacy to the purposes of such an institution, and the inevitable corruption of our youth, which results day by day, and hour by hour, from its continuance,-what is this but to view with complacency, and even to sanction by our apathy, a school, whose lessons of moral turpitude and of dark iniquity, must assuredly render its pupils adepts in crime, and lost to all rational expectations of happiness as social and accountable beings. What parent or guardian, who has had to contend in the execution of his charge, with the innate perversities of human nature, and to enlist in the struggle between the powers of light and darkness, but must shudder at the bare possibility, that the child of a near and valued connexion, should, through the enticements of wicked associates, chance to fall into the hands of the officers of justice in this city, and be placed as an apprentice in this school! The present is emphatically an age of humanity,- of unusual sympathy, on the part of the wise and virtuous, not only for those who are suffering from the unavoidable calamities of the world, but for those who, untaught and unprotected, are left to struggle with its manifold temptations. It is a period in which science is display |