Chapter XCI. *to amend an Act entitled “An Act to establish in the District of Columbia a House of Correction for Boys,” approved July twenty-fee, eighteen hundred and sixty six*
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CHAP. XCI.— An Act *to amend an Act entitled “An Act to establish in the District of Columbia a House of Correction for Boys,” approved July twenty-fee, eighteen hundred and sixty six*. May 6, 1870.1866, ch. 238.Vol. xiv. p. 232. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Board of trustees of house of correction to be known as Reform School of That the board of trustees of the house of correction, which shall hereafter be known and designated as the Reform School of the District of Columbia, may, at their discretion, receive, take, and keep in their exclusive care, control, and custody:120FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
Sess. II. Ch. 91. 1870. the District of Columbia.What classes of boys under sixteen may be received and kept in custody.First. Any boys under the age of sixteen years who shall or may be liable to punishment by imprisonment under any existing law of the District of Columbia, or any law that may be enacted and in force in said District. Second. Any boy under sixteen years of age, with the consent of his parent or guardian, against whom any charge of committing any crime or misdemeanor shall have been made, the punishment of which, on conviction, would be confinement in jail or prison.
Third. Any boy under sixteen years of age who is destitute of a suitable home and adequate means of obtaining an honest living, or who is in danger of being brought up, or is brought up, to lead an idle and vicions life. Fourth. Any boy under sixteen years of age who is incorrigible or habitually disregards the commands of his parents, father or mother, or guardians; or who resorts to immoral places or practices; or who neglects or refuses at the request or command of his parents, father or mother, or guardian, to perform labor suitable to his years and condition, or to attend school.
Sec. 2. Boys under sixteen convicted, &c. may have sentence suspended and be sent to reform school until they are twenty-one years old;*And be it further enacted*, That whenever any boy under the age of sixteen years shall be brought before any court of record of the District of Columbia, or any judge of such court, and shall be convicted of any crime or misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment, other than imprisonment for life, such court or judge, in lieu of sentencing such boy to imprisonment in the county jail, may, with the consent of such boy or his parent or guardian, suspend the sentence of punishment in the case, and commit the said boy to the care, control, and custody of the said trustees, to be taken to the said reform school, to remain until he shall arrive at the age of twenty-one years, unless sooner discharged by the where evidence is deemed sufficient to put them on trial may be committed for not less than six months.board of trustees.
And in all cases where a boy, under the age of sixteen years, shall be brought before any such court or judge upon the charge of crime or misdemeanor, when the accusation against him is deemed supported by evidence sufficient to put him on trial, such court or judge shall have full power to stay all proceedings in the case, and to commit him, in like manner, for such period as such court or judge may determine, but not less than six months. Sec. 3. Mayors of cities, &c. with consent, &c. of parents, &c. may commit such boys to reform school.*And be it further enacted*, That the mayors of the cities of Washington and Georgetown, and the president of the levy court of the District of Columbia, respectively, shall have full power to commit to the care, control, and custody of the board of trustees of said reform school, with the consent, and at the proper expense, of his parent or guardian, for such term as the board of trustees may determine, any boy such as is described in the third and fourth clauses of section one of this act.
And the members of the said board of trustees shall, also, individually, have the same power as is herein given to the mayors of Washington and Georgetown, and the president of the levy court. Sec. 4. Expense not to exceed $1.50 per week.*And be it further enacted*, That the thirteenth section of the act above mentioned be amended by inserting “a sum not exceeding one dollar and a half per week,” in the place of the words “fifty cents.” Sec. 5. Trustees may require security to be given for expense of supporting boys at the school.*And be it further enacted*, That in case any boy shall be committed to the care and control of the board of trustees, for the benefits of the reform school, by either of the mayors aforesaid, the president of the levy court, or either of the trustees, as before provided, the said board of trustees may, if they deem it proper, require security to be given to them by the parent or guardian of any boy so committed, for the payment of the expense of maintaining such boy in the said school, for such Statement at time of commitment.period as he may remain there.
And in all cases a statement of the age of the boy committed to the care of the board of trustees, together with the reason for such commitment, shall be furnished at the time of the commitment of each boy, to be delivered to the said board ; and until such statement shall be so delivered the trustees may decline to receive Length of commitment.such boy. No commitment shall remain in force longer than until theFORTY-FIRST CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 91, 92, 93, 94. 1870.121 committed shall have become fully reformed, nor after he shall have attained the age of twenty-one years.
But the said board shall have power to discharge any boy from their custody, by an order duly enteredDischarges. upon their records, whenever they shall deem the object of committing him fully attained. The trustees shall also have full power to placeBoys committed may be put at work and instructed ; any boy, committed as herein described, during his minority, at such employment for or on account of said school of reform or otherwise, and cause him to be instructed in such branches of useful knowledge as may be suitable to his years and capacity, and as they, the said trustees, may see fit; and they may, with the consent of any such boy, bind him out asand bound out as apprentices. an apprentice during his minority to learn such proper trade and employment as in their judgment will be most conducive to his reformation and amendment, and as will tend to his future benefit; and the said trustees shall, for such purpose, have power to appoint a committee ofCommittee to execute, &c. indentures. one or more of their number with power to execute and deliver, on behalf of the said board of trustees, indentures of apprenticeship for any boy whom they may deem a proper person for an apprentice, and such indentures shall have the same force and effect as other indentures ofEffect of such indentures, &c. apprenticeship under the laws of the District of Columbia, and be filed and kept among the records and in the office of the said reform school, and it shall not be necessary to record or file them elsewhere.
Sec. 6. *And be it further enacted*, That the Secretary of the InteriorPart of the government farm in the District of Columbia may be set off to the reform school. shall cause so much of the tract of land known as the government farm, in the District of Columbia, as may not be deemed necessary for the use of the aqueduct, to be set off by metes and bounds, to the board of trustees of the school of reform, in accordance with the provision of the first section of the act of July twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, of which this is an amendment; and thereupon the said board of trustees shall have exclusive possession and control of such portion as shall be thus set off to them.
Approved, May 6, 1870.