Star.
London, England, 1829-03-13 00:00:00

JUVIMILIi OFIRNDitf.

Mr. E. DA VEN emu. rose to move for leave to bring
in a Bill to mend the power of Summary Cull.lClioo
to certain Cale* • f Juvenile Offenders guilty of Petty
Larceny. The Hon. Manner. alter dwelling at some
li•ngth upon the crowded state of the gaols, and the re
I of which she Bill which he proposed to hitroduce would
afford, shouki it pass into a law, made a few obser Ta-
ttoos on thaltutility of classi6e4tion, as not at all cal-
culated to promote the object of real moral improve•
_scent—an object which user be lost sight of.
lie concluded by stating that his object was to propose

th it two or more magistrates should have the oaeer. ~f
taking cognisance of offences committed by persons of,
a certain age--that he would leave to the House--say
sweep years old. He would propose that.they should
possess discretionary limited power of il.flicting a
punishment by short imprisonment. He th ught shat
the inttantaneous infliction of the punishment was ,of
the highest importance in such cases, as inspi•ing a
more wholesome terror than could be effected by
chastisement intrinsically more severe. The increase of
crime was regularly concomitant upon the increase of
poverty; and therefore for that, as. well as for other
reasons, they ought to make punishments as lenient as
was consistent with an effectual prevention of crime.
The H In. Member then moved for leave to bring in a
Bill in conformity with the above statement.
Mr. Secretary PEEL agreed with the Hon. M totter
chat the subject was one deserving the most sea ins
consideration. He was aware that great evil arose from
the condition in which juvenile offenders were left when
remaining in confinement to abide their trial; at the
same time that the power of ,ummary conv.ction being
given to two Magistrates in cases to be determined only
by the age of t e offender, and not upon the moral
culpability, would, in his opinion, be attended 0 ith much
disadvantage. For some time past he had had under
consideration a Bill for regulating the qualifications
and jorisdicti n of Magi Ar ates. When that came before
the House the subjects introduced by the Hon. Member
would come before them under more fat ourable cir-
cumstances. In the meantime he (Mr. Peel) had no
objection to acquiesce in the Bill being brought in. He
did not say he would support it, but he would then
consent to the introduction of it.

M. LOCKHART wi.htd to enenn•age the continu-
ance of the u e of Juries, and in the cases contem,.lated
by the proposed Bill he would have a Jury ready in at..
'cadence, so that any person accusi-a moot nave Inc
benefit of the trial by Jury, +liquid they desire it.
Sir T. BARING agreed to the pr nciple of the Bill,
but would wait for its being printed before he pro-
nounced an opinion upon the details.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said, that if a particular law
were enacted for juvenile offenders, the most atrocious
offences would be committed through the agency
children. However, he thought it unnecessary to trou•
ble the House further upon the subject, for at the pre-
sent moment he scarcely hoped that any attention
would be given to the subject while the great question
which then agitated the empire remained unsettled. In
addition to the Bill on the subj..ct of the Magistracy,
which he intended to introduce, he also intended tr,
bring forward a Bill f unded on the Report of the
Committee appointed to inquire into the state of the
police. On the subject of the prisons he would adJ cue
observation, 'het they were not built at the caper's, of
the Government, but were always erected by the Local
Authorities.
Afters few words been Sir Trouts VIMIKASTLe•
Mr. DAVBN PORT replied, tie isestion was pc, sad ills Bill
allowed to be brought in.