Westminster Gaol “to enquire into the conduct
of affairs.” Charges of immorality, neglect of
duty, violation of rules and regulations of the
prison, and ill treatment of prisoners were made
against the warden. A gaoler and three trustees
were also charged with the above. The
commission reported:

The commissioner found that the Warden
was lax in his duties, that he made no effort
to remedy abuses, and that he disregarded
the rules and regulations, but that the
evidence did not show that the charge of
immorality was sustained.

Increasing concern was expressed about
isolating juvenile inmates from the
contaminating influence of adult male inmates.
In addition, the building in which the boys were
housed was too small for current
requirements.'” Plans were made for a separate
institution,

Prior to completion of the new reformatory,
the superintendent of Provincial Police
conducted an investigation at the Victoria
Reformatory. This investigation was prompted
by four boys who locked up the officer in
charge and escaped.

Several recommendations wete made to
improve the administration of this institution.
According to the report, dated November 18,
1902:

« Extra assistance was needed during the day
when the boys were out of their cells. During
the past five years, there were 30 escapes (and
only one staff member was on duty);

» Boys should be clothed in regulation prison
clothing to “...present a cleaner and smarter
appearance”;

» Rules and regulations should be passed for
the reformatory to guide officers and
prisoners, which should include a definition
of all forms of punishment for breaches of
discipline, and copies should be posted; and

» A separate “punishment book” should be
kept with a record of the names of boys
punished for infractions of prison discipline.

These changes were considered necessary due
to growth of the province and an increase in
juvenile offenders. Comments about the
existing facility and its unsuitability were
restrained, because the new reformatory was
under construction.

Industrial schools

The Industrial School for Boys’ (initially called
a juvenile reformatory) opened at Jericho in
Vancouver on February 1, 1905. The Victoria
Juvenile Reformatory closed once its juvenile
inmates were transferred to the new institution,
Fourteen juveniles were received during the

first fiscal year of operation, ending October
31, 1905.

Of this group, 10 were charged with theft, three
with being incorrigible and one was transferred
from the Vancouver City Gaol by special

13 D.W. Higgins, Chairman, Report of the Select Committee Appointed to Visit the Victoria Gaol, the Reformatory, and the

Refuge Home. In Sessional Papers. Victoria, B.C., 1899.

14 Industrial schools were viewed as treatment focused and tended to be less severe than reformatories.

Era of Punishment (1871-1949)

33