13. Widespread Child Crime and Penal Reforms
Extreme poverty in Victorian England often forced children into petty crime, leading to harsh punishments, including imprisonment with adults or transportation overseas. For instance, in 1814, five children under the age of 14 were hanged at the Old Bailey for crimes such as orchard theft. Additionally, between 1801 and 1836, 103 children aged 14 or under were sentenced to death at the Old Bailey, though none were executed (britishlibrary.cn). These severe measures prompted the establishment of reformatory schools in 1854, aiming to rehabilitate young offenders.
