Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-12-14
From the Western vefmoni Transcript.
What became oft,

should make some provision for the
establishment of one OF more Houses
OF Correction la our State for the cor
reciion of juvenile offenders. Those
who watched the meager report from
cay 10 day OF the proceedings Of the
late Legislature were made aware
thai some ac'ion was being taken IN
reference to this matter. But III
what form the question came up,
how II was finally disposed of, or the
reasons for It's final disposition were
not generally very clearly known.
1t might have been expected that
recommendation 50 apparently ben
eicent, aud so in Keeping with the
progressive tendencies OF the day,
would have mel with peculiar favor
among such a BODY as composed our
State Councils But such, it would
seem, was not The fact.
A committee was appointed by
the House to take into consdera-
ion the subject matter. and after
such examination and reflection as
they thought 1T To make, they were
driven 10 the conclusion, that al
present, no legislation by which
Houses of Correction may he estab-
lished is practicable
Some of he reasons that dyir this
committee ~ the conclusion indicat-
ed, are set forth in their report, to the
House of Representatives, and may
be briefly summed up as follows
lsi The small number If 1--WE
nile offenders IN the State, it being
assumed that they will not average
one to each counly.
%. If Houses Of Correction were
established aud supported as county
Inrlilnllons, it would demand an
annual and an onerous tax 10 be
raised onil by direct assessments up
on Ms inhsbiiaats, an outlay which
no county Is at present prepared To
make.
! Sd. Even If the money coulc
be obiared 1t shouhi be expended
upon the honest children in the wa
of Improvement Of our schools, raih
er than in an uncertain attempt /,
reform ropues'
4'h. II, however, instead Of
county, II should be made a STAT,
institution, its use would, in a grea
degree be liniied to the immedlat,
vicinity OF It's location
5ih. The transportation of youths
of tender years from their home
aud parents would not 'colncid
with the more obvious dictates o
common humanity
Such is the marrow Of the arsu
ment by which the official recon-
mendalion of our worthy Goyerno
was disposed Of.
Now in regard to the first ohiec
lion urged 10y the committee, on
readers will doubtless he surprised
as we are, at the statistical exhib
ton of juvenile morality IN our Stat,
In the midst of an aggregate popu
lation of more than $4,000 soul.
consisting of representatives. fror
almost every nation of modern time.
The army of juvenile offenders is re
duced 10 the average linn, OF some
thing like a bakers dozen Th
estimate will doubtless cause a sml
of Incredibly when the reader paus
es a moment to compare il with hi
own knowledge of facts. II is he
licved that If The statistics of an
single town IN the Stale were accul
ately collaled, They would show mos
concluslvely that II is seriously want
ing in accuracy.
This estimate is said to be base
upon information derived from lh
keepers of the several county jail
aud from the superintendent OF III
State Peniienliary. Without pau.
ing 10 question the accuracy OF III
information upon which this hypoihe
SIS is based, we would respectful
submit that these data If correct
would hardly form criterion for a
accurate Judgment IL is mol iru
that any considerable proportion q
those offences that would merit, an,
would almost inevitably receive III
penally of the House of Correction
If one were established, are prose
cuied TO effect under our presen
systems There is IA natural an'
growing disinclIn ton on the part o
prosecuting officers, and magistrates
TO bring the burdensome aud indIs
criminate enginery Of our present
criminal penalties to bear upon The
Youthful offender. II were impos
sible that the thoughtful guardian oil
the public veal should not shrink
with horror from the duty of con-
signing such cu PM to the common
and nolson,e cell oil the Abandoned
criminal. Ii were but sorry argu-
ment, against which his impulsive
humanity would rebel that his OH
cial duty compelled him To subject
such an initiate ia error, TO The poll
luling influences of the veterans IN
vice, whose ribald illustrations
would poison every uncon'am'na'ed
artery in his moral nature.
All experience shows that IN the
commission of petty acts OF INSIDE
meanoI, much the largest proportion
of offenders are children who from