REPORT OF THE STATE VISITING AGENT.

TABLE NO. 4.-Statistics concerning Children arraigned during the year ending September 30, 1871.

COMMITTALS TO JAILS.

Before the enactment of the present juvenile offender law, access to the State reformatories was greatly limited, as only particular classes of cases were brought before the magistrates having authority to commit to such institutions. Now, complaints against all under seventeen years of age are brought before magistrates having that power, except for violations of municipal laws and for offences punishable by imprisonment for life. Notwithstanding the way to these institutions is made broader, less go in thereat than when it was more strait. The returns show that there were seventy-two (72) less admitted to the reformatories during the year than in the year preceding, and adding the admissions to the State Primary School, to which some juvenile offenders are now sent, the number in the year last past is forty-nine (49) less than in the year preceding it. Seventeen (17) of the commitments to the Nautical School were by the superior court. This Agency has no notices from and consequently no prior action in reference to those boys.

The returns from the jails in the Commonwealth show that in the years 1869-70 there were five hundred forty (540) commitments thereto of persons under seventeen years of age, who were held nine thousand six hundred fifty (9,650) days, an average of seventeen and forty-seven fifty-fourths (17) days for each one; while in 1870-71 three hundred thirtyseven (337) were committed and held five thousand two hundred thirty-seven (5,237) days, an average of fifteen and one hundred eighty-two three hundred thirty-sevenths (1518). This statement includes those held for trial and those undergoing sentence.

The returns from houses of correction show that commitments to them were thirty-eight (38) less in 1870–71 than in 1869-70.

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AGES.