The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-05 00:00:00

JUVENILE REFORMATORIES.

THE annual meeting of the Juvenile Reformatory
Association, which was held on Tuesday, and a brief
report of which will be found in another column,
should arouse public attention to the urgent necessity
of effectual aid being given to the movement, in order
to rescue the rising generation of the poorer classes
from a career of crime, not only destructive to them-
selves, but injurious to the whole community. It ap-
pears, from the report of the committee, that although
the objeet contemplated was the establishment of
three institutions, on sea and on land for boys, and
one for the reformation of girls, the former only had
been accomplished, owing to the limited funds at dis-
posal. The frigate Akbar was granted by the Lords
of the Admiralty, and has been fitted up, at an expense
of £l,OOO, for the reception of five hundred boys.
This is a commencement in the right direction, for in
a busy port like Liverpool there is a constant demand
for well-trained boys for the merchant navy, while
their insulation on board a large vessel is sauch more
complete than in an establishment on land. It must
surely be unnecessary to advocate the importance of
rescuing mere children from the criminal course
which they had hardly commenced, but would be
certain to follow, and rendering them really useful
members of society. It is a duty not only enjoined
by Christianity, but justified by the common dictates
of humanity, while there cannot be the slightest doubt
that, whatever may be the first cost, it is the truest
economy.

Some objection has been made to the system of
relying upon voluntary contributions for such an
object, upon the ground that as the cause is a national
one the charge should be equally so. This may no
doubt be true in the abstract, but if such reasoning be
allowed to prevail, the evil will progress with rapid
strides ; and, with just retribution, the consequences
will fall with ten-fold effect on those who might have
prevented them. The legislature has done little but
sanction the movement, because it is difficult to con-
vince the public at large of the necessity of paying
taxes in order to provide against the consequences of
crime by anticipation. In the meantime children are
growing from bad to worse, their numbers are extend-
ing, evil example is spreading its baleful influence,
and while all may be waiting for all to be unanimous
as to the remedy and the necessity for its application,
the danger to the social and moral welfare of the popu-
lation is becoming imminent. We have abundance of
testimony, from police magistrates, from judges, from
inspectors of prisons, and from criminal statistics, that
crime is rapidly increasing, notwithstanding all that
has been done in the way of national education, and
that the chief source of its increase is the juvenile
population of our large towns. There is no denying
the existence of the evil nor the cause of it, and if
other means of remedy than voluntary ones are im-
practicable or unattainable, there is the greater neces-
sity for the appeal which is now made to public
benevolence.

What is chiefly wanted is that mutual co-operation
which is certain of success. The police should be
vigilant in clearing our streets of those little objects
of pity who will shortly become dangerous to society;

the magistrates should be firm in rescuing them from
the perdition which is otherwise inevitable ; the law
should compel the parents who have been neglectful
of their duties to contribute as far as possible towards
the maintenance of their children ; and the public, by
their liberal contributions, should enable the com-
mittee to carry out their praiseworthy object in the
most efficient manner. Such endeavours, under the
blessing of Providence, may be the means of rescuing
many an unfortunate child from destruction, and, at
the same time, return with ample increase in the im-
proved moral and social condition of the population.
Let every one, therefore, believe it to be a positive
obligation on himself, and, by contributing as much
as in his power, do his part towards redressing a
social grievance of the greatest magnitude. We
make this appeal for support to the Liverpool Juvenile
Reformatory in the confident hope that it will be cor-
dially responded to, so that the committee may be
enabled, not only to perfect their work of the floating
institution for boys, but also to establish the contem -
plated reformatory for girls.