The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-07
HOUSE OF REFUGE.
The States Home for Juvenile Criminals -Su-
perintendent Charlton Reports Some
Abuses and Makes Suggestions.

The Off GERS of the Indiana Reform School for
Boys yesterday submitted to the Governor
the seventeenth annual report OF the instttu-
tuion. The trustees state that for several years
the buildings for the inmates have not been sui
hcient to propely all who have
been committed to the institution. During the
last year two family buildings were erected ana
will soon be ready for occupancy. The work
was practically done by the officers and boys,
with the assistance of a foreman for the brick
yard, a brick-mason and a carpenters; so tha',
at the close of the season, the boys were GOOD
workmen, and many of them would command
good wages. The buildings were erected at a
saving to the State of one-third what it would
have cost if tbs work had been done ny con-
tract. One half of The appropriation of $4,000
was used.
The trustees again call attention to the i'm
portance of revising the law governing the In
s%tltution. much of IT." they state, sis Of
doubtful constitutionality and is impracticable'
Abuses have been practiced by heartless par
ents by having their children committed. either
to get them out of the way or to aid them in a
second marriage. Orphans have been commlt-
ted, the only pretext being chat they had no
home, and many of them have been transferred
from the poor-houses throughout the State, that
class being usually so constituted physically that
homes could not he procured for them To send
the little boys of this class, the trustees say, is a
gross injustice and Hdetritnent TO the hstltu'
lion.
In abiding to the abuses which grow out of
the present law Superintendent Charlton rec
Ommends, among other changes, that counties
shall be compelled to organize homes, where
homeless anu pauper children shall he kept,
LET cities organize truant Schools" he says,
"a5 many of the Eastern cities
have done. with power granted them to
| y nOniu a wi n ~ 2 M F1fn n nv n O nd Nillnnnn Pm
these schools in the charge Of the best disci-
plinarier that could be secured, ana let the State
schools receive only the criminal youths. Our
numbers are so ra pidly increasing, and so many
wrongs are committed by the 'ineOrrtgible'
GLASS, that it is only a matter of a few years when
this will have to be done" The In ws of the State
forbid the commitment of a boy for crime who
is over sixteen years old. Mr.. Charlton thinks
that u third prison should be provided for Grill
mails between the ages of sixteen and twenty
five years, where they may be given some edu-
catien. SHeh n school has been in existence at
Elmira, N. Y. for some time, with good rebuits.
The passage or a law similar to the one In ONO,
prohibiting the incarceration OF boys III jail with
criminals, ls recommended. Boys learn more
crime in a day in jail, The Superintendent thinks,
than they can in any other way in months,
He recommends, further, that the same pro-
vision should he made bys the next Legislature
for the employment of a visitor of released boys,
whose duty 1t shall be 10 give some attention to
the conduct of sl that have been released, pro-
cure employment and homes for the meritOrious
and return TO the institution all whe are found
guilty OF bad conduct. The Cincinnati Children's
Hume has such an officer, and much good has
been accomplished through his services.
The health Of the inmates OF the institution
during the last year has been good, only one
death having occurred. In sixteen years there
have been JOrty-nine deaths, and in the last
three years there has been only one.
The inmates of the institution at the close OF
the year numbered 1888, thirteen less than atthe
end of last year. The number admitted
during the year was 149 and 166 were dis
charged. The average age is fourteen years
and two months. Since the opening OF the in
stitutiOR 1875 boys have been admitted TO it,
Among those whose parents have died, 772
have one parent, and both parents OF 202 have
died. the average length of time that
boys are kept in the institntien is twenty-One
months and ten days. The crimes for which
the present inmates were committed are euum-
Grated as follows: Inc9rrigibiliry . Sc; No charge,
2; grand larceny, 10: petit larceny. SO: va
grsncy, /; burglary, z; assault and battery, 3; OBJ
struotipg railways, L; arson, 2; murder. l, and
lnanslaughter 2. In sixteen years 177 b0ys
have been released on tlekets-0f-leaye, and OF
these thirty-three have been revoked and the
boys returned to the Institution.
The estimated cost of caring for the inmates
during the next year is $40 per boy. The total
receipts during the last year amounted 70 1885,
500, and the Disbursements were $58, 336.24.
maintenance is now $4,000 less than when the
school had 100 less inmates, and Is S2l 900 less
than when the school was not half so large. BY
close economy and with good crops, he may De
enabled to keep within the appropriation until.
the next Legislature meets, when the amount
should be increased, he says, 100000.