THE EDUCATION OF BORSTAL BOYS A Study of their Educational Experiences prior to, and during, Borstal Training.

Hardback. The idea that education, or rather the lack of it, is a contributory factor in the crime of the young is far from new. Throughout the 19th-century it was a recurring theme in the writings of almost anyone concerned with the 'moral reclamation' of juvenile delinquents. The elementary skills of the three 'Rs', and especially reading, were regarded by many advanced reformers as of crucial importance; on occasion the enthusism could be excessive, and for a time the emphasis in the regime of the Berkshire County Gaol led to its being known among its habitues as the 'Read-Read-Reading Gaol'. In the author's study one of the most important matters which she discusses relates to the way in which education must relate to the total training experience, something which didn't happen at the time. There is apparently no substance in the theory that education by itself is an antidote to crime, although improvement in an individual's chances in the market may go a long way to breaking the cycle of unskilled work, unemployment and crime. Appendices, Bibliog. and Index. 228pp. 8vo. h/back. F.