Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-09-19
The state Reforu scbooI.

The following statement, in substance, is
going the rounds of the papers: "The astound
ing fact is brought out that onc-tenth of the
inmates of the State Prison are graduates Of
the State Reform School. ~ Boston Travel
Ter. Sept 81 Unlike so many of the para
graphs relating to the Reform School, this is
definite i'll its fact and figures, and is therefore
susceptible of being sustained or contuted.
The fact that many conyicts, both in the
State Prison and in the Reform School, pass
under assumed names and different aliases, has
rendered the inquiries difficult, and perhaps
prevents perfect accuracy but thorough ex
animation, made in conjunction with the OIL
GERS, both at the prison and the school has led
the writer to the following results =
The total number of present and former con.
victs of the State Prison who had been com
mitted to the State Reform School is fortyrtwo
Of this number, eleven were, after short pro
baton, "remanded" by the trustees of the
school to their alternative sentence in the
House of Correction, and consequently cannot,
in any sense be called graduates otthe school /;
leaving thirty-one as the true number OF con-
viets who had been inmates Of the Reform
School.
The number of these boys actually in the
State Prison when the examination was made,
was twenty-six the remaining five having
been discharged, and twenty six is one-tenth
of two hundred and sixty. The number of
convicts in the prison at that time was about
four hundred and ninety
Here, then, are 81 boys, once members of
the Reform School, who found their way into
the State Prison. This is less than one and a
quarter per cent. on 2540 who have been SEN
fenced to the school, This may seem too
large per cent. but ali examination of the
history of these 81 boys previous to their com.
mitment, throws important light on the fact.
Of this thirty eight were from sixteen to
eighteen years old when committed to the Re-
form School; twenty three were fourteen years
and over. Those eight were above the age
named in the statute, as the limit to the power
of the courts; and the twenty -three-about
four-fifths of the entire number-were above
the age specified by Mr.. Lyman, and so often
indicated by the Trustees i'll their reports, as
the limit OF hopeful reform.
OF this thirty -one, all but four or five were
mature in crime-expert thieves. burglars,
pickpOckets or vagabonds, when committed
to the Reform School. Nineteen of the num-
Der had been previously arrested or impris-
oned-one of them sixteen times, and several of
them from three to five times. One was com
mitted for arson; nineteen for larceny two
for breaking and entering.
OF this thirty -one, twenty-five were commit
ted during the first two years after the opening
of the school, before the system had acquired
definite shape, and the true elements of re-
form had been ascertained by experience.
Only nine Of the number have been received
since July, 1850. And of the total number,
only eight or nine were regarded by the off
GERS of the school, at the expiration of their
sentence, as reformed, or as giving promise of
a useful life.
Westboro', Sept. Is, 1859.