Notes of the United States of North America, During a Phrenological Visit in 1898-9-40: Volume 1 Page: 212 of 444
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172 HOUSE OF REFUGE FOR
destroy the character of the culprit, to blunt his feelings,
and to remove from his mind all terror of
the law, by rendering him thus early familiar with
its power; and as if to school him into crime, it
deals gently with him at first, giving him only a delicate
experience of its lash, and often, by placing
him in the society of more accomplished rogues, educates
him to more extensive depredations. The want
of houses of refuge for such offenders has been generally
experienced; and in several cities such institutions
have been instituted and supported by charitable
donations. The state of the criminal law,
however, has presented great obstacles to their success;
for as it awards confinement in prison for a
definite number of days as a punishment, and makes
no adequate provision for the reformation of its victims,
it leaves these houses of refuge without legal
power, or means, to correct offenders, or to prevent
them from falling again into crime. In Boston
this branch of public police stands on a better foundation.
An Act of the Legislature was passed on 4th March
1826, entitled " an Act concerning Juvenile Offenders
in the City of Boston," which provides as follows:Sect.
1. Gives power to the City Council of Boston
to erect a suitable building in the city " for the reception,
instruction, employment, and reformation of
such juvenile offenders as are hereinafter named."
Sect. 2. Provides that the Directors of the house
"shall have power, at their discretion, to receive and
take into said house all such children who shall be
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Combe, George, 1788-1858. Notes of the United States of North America, During a Phrenological Visit in 1898-9-40: Volume 1, book, 1841; Edinburgh, Scotland. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1028/m1/212/?rotate=0: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.