Daily Republican., 1881-06-24
BOYS and Crime.

|
| On Wednesday there were seen larg'
stalwart colored man and a small whit
boy fourteen years of age, trudsinI
down Market street together. Apolice
man walked behind them keeping ;
close eye on their movement. A LITTLE
closer inspection showed the coIoret
man and the white boy were coupled
with handouts by the wrists 50 thai
one conld not run away without
taking the other along with him.
They were on their way to the
depot TO take the train for New Castle
where they were to be incarcerated in
prison until the September term Of
court, when they are to be tricd for the
commission of some petty crime. 1t is
of the boy we would particularly speak,
though it is unfortunate that either old
or young should submit to temptation
and commit crime. Bat when chill.
dren from ten TO fifteen years Of age
become petty thieves ard pests to Socie-
ty the case demands more than the
usual notice, This small boy referred
TO is to be pitied He was no doub. a
bad boy and an annoyance to the neigh
borhood. But will he be any better
after he stays in priSon associating with
other hardened wretches un the Sep
tember court? VIII his condition be
improved after he has been convicted,
pilloried, whipped, impris oned six
months or year longer and then be
turned out to wear a COnviCt'S Jacket
with the words "thieI" imprinted upon
the back of it? These are questions
which should interest every citizen
who believes in reformation and has |!
the good of society at heart. The queS-
ton then follows where are our refor-
matory institutions Search the State
rom Claymont to Delmar, the black
'usty walls of prisons and poor houses
Ire seen but in all the State not build
ng can be found dedicated TO the retor-
nation of the young.
There are no houses of refuge, outside
the Jail, no place for untortunates
utside of the POOR house. There is no
,ebriate asylum, out plenty of persons
uthorzed by the State to change the
)ber to inebriates. We wish to say in
hort that a young and tender child OF
IN or fourteen should not be sent 10
Ill but rather to house of correction i
reformation. IT is not creditable to o
le people of Delaware that the State \
as no refCrmat0ry institutions. p
But why are these boys sent TO \
-lson?. That is 4 question which f
lould interest al parents who have q
'ys. 1he most IF these boys would $;
VI be III prison if they had the right si
aiming at home. Many parents do ei
1t seem to care what becomes of their g
'yS 80 they but get them out on the a
reefs out of their road. These bows
n be seen in g-oups upon the street /, /,
rner> and heard Using obscene lang BIT
Lge, they are found upon the open lots
lring Sundays playing marbles and g.
4se ball, falling out, quarrclling, r
,hting, curSing, swearing, and insult /
g quiet inOtfensiye neighbors who oI o,
ay for their own comfort offer Il word in
remonstrance. These boys who are y
arched over 10 prison with handouts
are recruited trom the boys on the
IS and on the street corners, and these
)wds are recruited from the homes of IN III
ilmington that are not made inviting lo'
d pleasant for boys. Parents you are str
blame for much of the crime that tn
lists amongst boys. Do you see the grt
mt. BE