However, most chose to remain at the schools. Initially Lyman was an all boy's school. Eventually an all girls school was developed and several other reform schools developed throughout the state of Massachusetts. Miller explains that
"Though there was never much evidence that any of these nineteenth-century institutions was effective at its stated goals -- curing the mentally ill, humanely caring for the retarded, reforming the delinquent, or calming the recalcitrant -- all were highly successful at exiling the unmanageable, the unproductive, and the threatening. Their purpose was custodial, despite the gloss succeeding eras placed upon them (Miller,46)."
Miller also describes juvenile detention facilities as waiting rooms and warehouses. At certain times in state history the juvenile detention facilities were nothing more than waiting rooms where delinquents were kept. The author asserts that the juvenile homes in Massachusetts had the feel of waiting rooms because they were boring and the children did not have activities and other things to keep them busy. They just sat around and waited all day long.
The author further explains that some of the state's juvenile detention facilities appeared to be warehouses. This warehouse feel was present in such reform institutions as the boy's Industrial school at Shirley. Although these warehouses had activities and structure for the inmates, the staff did not appear to be very caring towards the boys or attempt to address the needs of the boys. In addition, many of the most difficult offenders were sent to Shirley. Some of the juveniles were even hidden.
Miller also discusses correctional reform and the manner in which he went about finding a direction for the juvenile corrections system in Massachusetts. Miller believed that the structure of the Juvenile justice system in Massachusetts...
Miller complains that previous reforms did nothing to change the juvenile system although a great deal of money was spent on attempts to change the system. Miller explains that he had to fight against the government and the system of bureaucracy that was in place that did not want to see the types of changes that he desired to enforce.
Finally, Miller discusses reverberations and the types of difficulties he experienced has he endeavored to make real changes to the system. He explains that one of the most pressing issues that he wanted to confront was the mistreatment of inmates. He explains that many inmates were secretive about the abuse that they endured, which made it more difficult to stop the abuses from occurring. Miller aimed to have a greater amount of accountability and more supervision of inmates within the system. Miller even found that some parole officers were sexually abusing clients. As a result people were fired and some reforms were made as it pertained to ensuring that juveniles were safe and not coerced into engaging in sexual activities with parole officers. Although a great deal of reform took place However, his ability to make such changes was met with a great deal of difficulty.
Conclusion
Overall Miller's book focuses on the juvenile system in the state of Massachusetts. Miller explains the various types of reform systems that have existed in the state. These juvenile reform systems have included reform schools in the 19th and 20th century, along with the current system of detaining juveniles.
References
Miller, J.G. (1991) Last One Over the Wall: The Massachusetts experiment in Closing Reform schools. Ohio State University Press: Columbia
