The Effects of British Penal Reform on Juvenile Delinquency, 1895-1900

Location

CSU 202

Start Date

24-4-2007 10:45 AM

End Date

24-4-2007 12:30 PM

Student's Major

History

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Larry Witherell

Mentor's Department

History

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

The British penal reforms of the late nineteenth century served to change the face of both punishment for crime and the nature of crime itself. Reform acts, particularly those dealing with sentencing, corporal punishment, and incarceration had a profound effect on criminality. This project will focus on how these reforms affected the nature of juvenile crime and criminals in Victorian Britain, particularly between 1895 and 1900.

In the mid-nineteenth century, juvenile delinquency was fairly common social situation. It was commonplace in London society especially, where bands of young pickpockets and beggars would comb the city streets causing trouble. The archaic prison system was not well-equipped to deal with the load of criminals heaped upon it. Jails were overcrowded and often served as breeding-grounds for organized crime. Sentencing of criminals was also problematic, as sentences often did not accurately reflect the gravity of a crime. By the 1870s, legislators were growing anxious about the growing number of criminals, especially in the large cities, and the lack of means to deal with them.

This project will look at how these reforms changed the face of juvenile delinquency in Britain between the years of 1895 and 1900, and utilize statistical evidence from parliamentary papers; Parliamentary debates; contemporary newspapers and periodicals; and secondary scholarship.

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Apr 24th, 10:45 AM Apr 24th, 12:30 PM

The Effects of British Penal Reform on Juvenile Delinquency, 1895-1900

CSU 202

The British penal reforms of the late nineteenth century served to change the face of both punishment for crime and the nature of crime itself. Reform acts, particularly those dealing with sentencing, corporal punishment, and incarceration had a profound effect on criminality. This project will focus on how these reforms affected the nature of juvenile crime and criminals in Victorian Britain, particularly between 1895 and 1900.

In the mid-nineteenth century, juvenile delinquency was fairly common social situation. It was commonplace in London society especially, where bands of young pickpockets and beggars would comb the city streets causing trouble. The archaic prison system was not well-equipped to deal with the load of criminals heaped upon it. Jails were overcrowded and often served as breeding-grounds for organized crime. Sentencing of criminals was also problematic, as sentences often did not accurately reflect the gravity of a crime. By the 1870s, legislators were growing anxious about the growing number of criminals, especially in the large cities, and the lack of means to deal with them.

This project will look at how these reforms changed the face of juvenile delinquency in Britain between the years of 1895 and 1900, and utilize statistical evidence from parliamentary papers; Parliamentary debates; contemporary newspapers and periodicals; and secondary scholarship.

Recommended Citation

Tieck, Abigail A.. "The Effects of British Penal Reform on Juvenile Delinquency, 1895-1900." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 24, 2007.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2007/oral-session-12/6