What is the 'child-saving movement'?

• A. Movement to protect adults
• B. Movement to speed up trials
• C. Reform movement that protected children and focused on rehabilitation
• D. Movement to create harsher juvenile prisons

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is how the child-saving movement approached juvenile justice. This reform emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as reformers believed children were fundamentally different from adults and needed protection and guidance rather than harsh punishment. The movement pushed for a separate system for youths—juvenile courts, probation, supervision, and rehabilitation-focused programs—rooted in the belief that society should save and reform rather than simply punish young offenders. It framed delinquency as a welfare issue and used institutions like reform schools and community-based services to help children return to productive paths, often under the doctrine of parens patriae, where the state acts as guardian for the child.

So, the option describing a reform effort that protected children and emphasized rehabilitation best captures this movement. It’s not about protecting adults, speeding up trials, or creating harsher juvenile prisons—the emphasis was on welfare, guidance, and reform for youth.