Pre-Hearing Detention of Youthful Offenders: No Place to Go

Abstract

"It is all very well for you to say that you came of unhealthy parents, and had a severe accident in your childhood which permanently undermined your constitution; ... You may say that it is not your fault. The answer is ready enough at hand, and it amounts to this-that if you had been born of healthy and well-todo parents, and had been well taken care of when you were a child, you would never have offended against the laws of your country, nor found yourself in your present disgraceful position. If you tell me you had no hand in your percentage and education, and that it is therefore unjust to lay these things to your charge I answer that whether your being in a consumption is your fault or not, it is a fault in you, and it is my duty to see that against such faults as this the commonwealth shall be protected. You may say that is your misfortune to be criminal; I answer that it is your crime to be unfortunate.''