Legal Definitions - house of refuge

A house of refuge was a historical institution, primarily established in the 19th and early 20th centuries, designed to provide shelter, moral instruction, and vocational training to individuals deemed to be at risk of delinquency or in need of social reform. These institutions often served juveniles, orphans, neglected children, or "wayward" women, aiming to rehabilitate them and prevent them from entering the adult criminal justice system or falling into destitution. The focus was on correction and reform through structured living, education, and labor, rather than purely punitive incarceration.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of a house of refuge:

• Example 1: Orphaned Children's Asylum

  In the mid-1800s, a bustling industrial city faced a growing problem of orphaned and abandoned children living on the streets. To address this, local philanthropists and government officials established a house of refuge. This institution provided these children with a safe place to live, regular meals, basic schooling, and training in trades like tailoring or domestic service. The goal was to instill discipline and provide skills, preventing them from resorting to petty crime or becoming a public burden, thereby offering them a path to becoming self-sufficient adults.

  This illustrates a house of refuge by showing its role in providing shelter and reform for vulnerable children, aiming to correct their life trajectory through education and vocational training rather than simply punishing their circumstances.

• Example 2: Juvenile Delinquent Reformatory

  A young boy in the late 19th century, repeatedly caught stealing food due to extreme poverty, might have been sent to a house of refuge instead of an adult prison. Within this institution, he would be subjected to a strict daily routine that included religious instruction, basic literacy lessons, and several hours of work in a workshop, perhaps learning carpentry. The administrators believed that by removing him from his environment and instilling moral values and practical skills, they could "refine" his character and prevent him from a life of crime.

  This example demonstrates a house of refuge as an alternative to traditional incarceration for minor offenders, focusing on moral and vocational rehabilitation to correct behavior and integrate the individual back into society.

• Example 3: "Wayward" Women's Home

  During the early 20th century, a young woman who had become homeless and was perceived as "morally adrift" by society, perhaps due to prostitution or having an out-of-wedlock child, might be committed to a house of refuge. Here, she would live under strict supervision, engage in domestic chores, learn skills like sewing or laundry, and participate in daily prayers and moral lectures. The institution aimed to "redeem" her character, teach her proper feminine conduct, and prepare her for a respectable life, often as a domestic servant, thereby correcting her perceived social deviance.

  This illustrates a house of refuge's function in providing shelter and a structured environment for adult women deemed to be in need of moral correction and social rehabilitation, offering an alternative to destitution or more punitive measures.