Abstract: The Sinza Refuge was established under the suggestion of Chen Fuxun，the first magistrate of the Mixed Court of Shanghai. Previous research has mostly regarded this institution as a charitable organization without noticing the tight link between the Sinza Refuge and the Mixed Court. At first，the Sinza Refuge was used as a settlement for poor Chinese，which made it no different than other refuges. However，because it was located in the International Settlement，and mainly depended on the Qing government and the Mixed Court for its expenditures，the Sinza Refuge became an institution that accepted all kinds of personnel sent by the Mixed Court，including helpless people and criminals. In order to save them from the abuses of official matchmakers and Shan?tang，the Sinza Refuge built rooms for the women who were involved in lawsuits. During the fight over the power to hold women prisoners between the Mixed Court and the Municipal Council，the women’s refuge was changed into a women’s prison. At the same time，some of the adult male criminals who were imprisoned in the western prison were imprisoned in the Sinza Refuge. These factors contributed to the Sinza Refuge not only playing the role of a charitable organization，but also that of a prison.