Separating the Men from the Boys: The John Worthy School (1891-1916)

The John Worthy School (JWS) was created at the turn of the twentieth century to house younger male misdemeanants within Chicago’s House of Correction separately from older offenders. The JWS reflected reformers’, experts’, and city leaders’ goals of reforming, educating, and punishing juveniles differently from more “hardened” criminals. Although scholars have previously focused on the creation of juvenile courts, few have examined the creation, implementation, and operation of correctional institutions for younger offenders. Doing so highlights the clear tensions in these facilities and the limits of juvenile incarceration. In addition, through the JWS and informal subsidiary institutions, the city of Chicago expanded the reach of the city’s power into the lives and families of those detained within the walls of the facility. However, shortly after the JWS closed, such responsibility transferred to county and state authorities.