2. Institutional Treatment

AuthorF.C. Foster
DOI10.1177/026455054100301405
Published date01 May 1941
Date01 May 1941
Subject MatterArticles
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197
2.
INSTITUTIONAL TREATMENT
By F. C. FOSTER (Probation Officer, Birmingham)
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of the most disturbing phenomena which
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thousand ; a thousand approved school children in~―
O those engaged in work among delinquents
Remand Homes whose total normal capacity off’
have to face as a result of the war is the change
twelve hundred has been reduced by at least seventy
which has taken place in the function of the Remand
places by enemy action. Remand Home accommo-
Home. In the Children’s Branch Report for 1938
dation, therefore, is hardly sufficient for the deten-
the four main purposes to be served by a Remand
tion of approved school committals, so it is quite
Home were outlined as follows: ( 1 ) A boy may
insufficient for the cases for which the homes were
be sent to a Remand Home if the Court believes
originally intended. To-day, the Remand Home is
that he may not answer to his bail ; (2) He may be
making practically no constructive contribution to
sent to a Remand Home if the offence is serious and
the treatment of juvenile crime at all. It is question-
if it is feared that he might commit a similar offence
able as to whether the period spent in a Remand
during the period on remand ; (3) The time spent
Home is not actually retrogressive. Children spend
in custody provides an opportunity for him to reflect
periods of up to several months in the homes and it
upon his conduct and the separation from home,
is doubtful, in the majority of cases, if it can be
friends and relatives, a sort of incidental punish-
said that any real effort is made to see that the
ment, may provide a salutary lesson where home
period of waiting plays any part in the remedial
discipline is lax; (4) A Remand Home provides the
treatment of the child.
best opportunity for the preparation of medical and
Unfortunately, the ill effects of this lack of proper
psychological reports.
In another passage in the
accommodation do not end there.
The Courts are
report greater emphasis is laid on the important
obliged as a result of this overcrowding to adopt
function a Remand Home can serve as a place of
the makeshifts which are causing us so much concern
observation.
We
really, therefore, should be able to
~to-day. Children who should be sent to Remand
regard a Remand Homo not as a place of detention
Homes to await admission to schools are too often
so much as an observation centre.
A centre for the
allowed to remain with their parents.
This is
promotion of understanding-understanding of the
obviously wrong. The child may commit a further
problems with which the erring juvenile is beset.
offence and perhaps involve others with him. Or on
Such is our ideal Remand Ho~me, staffed by people
the other hand he may behave quite well and, as in
of sympathy, vision and intelligence. Is that in
some cases has happened, start work and make
fact the position to-day ? Does it not seem that we
good progress, only suddenly to be whisked away
must admit that the Remand Home is nothing but
to the approved school. This is heartbreaking for
a warehouse for juvenile delinquents-a storehouse
the boy and disturbing to the parents and one can-
where we keep them until we can find room for them
not blame either if they feel that they have been
in approved schools ?
unjustly treated. Such cases may be an indication
Since 1933 it has been the duty of the Local
of an over rash committal. Many children are sent
Authorities to provide Remand Home accommoda-
during this interim period to institutions which never
tion.
They appear to have been caught napping,
were intended as Remand Homes and are in no way
and one is quite justified in asking whether they
fitted to play that role. Some of these temporary
have really attempted to carry out their duties under
institutions cannot even successfully perform the
the Act. Even prior to the war the position was
simple task of detaining the child. In some cases
not everywhere satisfactory, but since the outbreak
the staff do not appear to be gifted with sufficient
of war, what is certainly an unsatisfactory situation
intelligence or understanding to hope to do the
has arisen.
Despite the experience of the last war,
work. It is said of one temporary Remand Home
when the pre-war figures for juvenile offenders was
that absconding boys, on being returned to the
almost doubled in the first two years of the war,
home, are dressed in girl’s clothes, in blouse and
they still made so little provision for an increase
tunic and knickers.
Is this the way to treat a boy
in this war that the Home Office sent out a circular
already badly adjusted to life ?
in April 1940 pointing out...

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