Recent legislation in England and other countries affecting children and young persons

Abstract

The Home Office Committee on the treatment of young offenders, over which I presided, spent two years in investigating the difficult problems of child life, and in our Report (Cmd. 2831, 1927). We made many recommendations, most of which have been carried into effect either by administrative action or by the Children and Young Persons Act of the present year (22 and 23 Geo. V. C. 46). A few recommendations, notably the establishment of Observation Centres, have not been included in the Act for financial reasons, but I venture to hope that when the financial strain of the present time has disappeared money will be found for a much needed reform, which has the unanimous support of all the educational authorities in England. In order to understand the meaning and effect of the new legislation it is desirable to look at it in its historical perspective, and with this object I propose to say a few words in the first instance about the early history of (1) Reformatory Schools. (2) Industrial Schools. (3) Probation. (4) Juvenile Courts.