Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women
prison in Canada
The Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women was a women's (16 years of age or older) prison in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. At various times, the facility was also known as the Mercer Complex, Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Females, and Andrew Mercer Ontario Reformatory for Females.
Located on King Street West in Toronto, Ontario, the Mercer Reformatory opened in 1880. The complex was composed of two institutions: The Mercer Reformatory for adult women and the Industrial Refuge for Girls for those under 14. It would later include facilities for drug treatment and psychiatric disorders. The complex would stand until 1969, when it was demolished and replaced by other institutions.
Originally intended to provide reform possibilities, including curing alcoholism, the facility developed a notorious reputation during its lifetime. There were documented cases of torture, beatings and illegal medical procedures, including drug experimentation. There were several riots at the facility.
Construction
It was situated west of downtown Toronto, on the grounds of the farm of the provincial asylum located to the north on Queen Street.
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This entry incorporates text from “Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.