diff --git a/c++/src/ColumnPrinter.cc b/c++/src/ColumnPrinter.cc
index b4b5860cad..d781eea1fc 100644
--- a/c++/src/ColumnPrinter.cc
+++ b/c++/src/ColumnPrinter.cc
@@ -169,22 +169,20 @@ namespace orc {
   private:
     const unsigned char *tags;
     const uint64_t* offsets;
-    std::vector<ColumnPrinter*> fieldPrinter;
+    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ColumnPrinter>> fieldPrinter;
 
   public:
     UnionColumnPrinter(std::string&, const Type& type);
-    virtual ~UnionColumnPrinter() override;
     void printRow(uint64_t rowId) override;
     void reset(const ColumnVectorBatch& batch) override;
   };
 
   class StructColumnPrinter: public ColumnPrinter {
   private:
-    std::vector<ColumnPrinter*> fieldPrinter;
+    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ColumnPrinter>> fieldPrinter;
     std::vector<std::string> fieldNames;
   public:
     StructColumnPrinter(std::string&, const Type& type);
-    virtual ~StructColumnPrinter() override;
     void printRow(uint64_t rowId) override;
     void reset(const ColumnVectorBatch& batch) override;
   };
@@ -540,14 +538,7 @@ namespace orc {
                                             tags(nullptr),
                                             offsets(nullptr) {
     for(unsigned int i=0; i < type.getSubtypeCount(); ++i) {
-      fieldPrinter.push_back(createColumnPrinter(buffer, type.getSubtype(i))
-                             .release());
-    }
-  }
-
-  UnionColumnPrinter::~UnionColumnPrinter() {
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < fieldPrinter.size(); i++) {
-      delete fieldPrinter[i];
+      fieldPrinter.push_back(createColumnPrinter(buffer, type.getSubtype(i)));
     }
   }
 
@@ -582,15 +573,7 @@ namespace orc {
                                            ): ColumnPrinter(_buffer) {
     for(unsigned int i=0; i < type.getSubtypeCount(); ++i) {
       fieldNames.push_back(type.getFieldName(i));
-      fieldPrinter.push_back(createColumnPrinter(buffer,
-                                                 type.getSubtype(i))
-                             .release());
-    }
-  }
-
-  StructColumnPrinter::~StructColumnPrinter() {
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < fieldPrinter.size(); i++) {
-      delete fieldPrinter[i];
+      fieldPrinter.push_back(createColumnPrinter(buffer, type.getSubtype(i)));
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/c++/src/ColumnReader.cc b/c++/src/ColumnReader.cc
index ab526a5ac7..87d358e53b 100644
--- a/c++/src/ColumnReader.cc
+++ b/c++/src/ColumnReader.cc
@@ -835,11 +835,10 @@ namespace orc {
 
   class StructColumnReader: public ColumnReader {
   private:
-    std::vector<ColumnReader*> children;
+    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ColumnReader>> children;
 
   public:
     StructColumnReader(const Type& type, StripeStreams& stipe);
-    ~StructColumnReader() override;
 
     uint64_t skip(uint64_t numValues) override;
 
@@ -871,7 +870,7 @@ namespace orc {
       for(unsigned int i=0; i < type.getSubtypeCount(); ++i) {
         const Type& child = *type.getSubtype(i);
         if (selectedColumns[static_cast<uint64_t>(child.getColumnId())]) {
-          children.push_back(buildReader(child, stripe).release());
+          children.push_back(buildReader(child, stripe));
         }
       }
       break;
@@ -883,16 +882,10 @@ namespace orc {
     }
   }
 
-  StructColumnReader::~StructColumnReader() {
-    for (size_t i=0; i<children.size(); i++) {
-      delete children[i];
-    }
-  }
-
   uint64_t StructColumnReader::skip(uint64_t numValues) {
     numValues = ColumnReader::skip(numValues);
-    for(std::vector<ColumnReader*>::iterator ptr=children.begin(); ptr != children.end(); ++ptr) {
-      (*ptr)->skip(numValues);
+    for(auto& ptr : children) {
+      ptr->skip(numValues);
     }
     return numValues;
   }
@@ -916,13 +909,12 @@ namespace orc {
     ColumnReader::next(rowBatch, numValues, notNull);
     uint64_t i=0;
     notNull = rowBatch.hasNulls? rowBatch.notNull.data() : nullptr;
-    for(std::vector<ColumnReader*>::iterator ptr=children.begin();
-        ptr != children.end(); ++ptr, ++i) {
+    for(auto iter = children.begin(); iter != children.end(); ++iter, ++i) {
       if (encoded) {
-        (*ptr)->nextEncoded(*(dynamic_cast<StructVectorBatch&>(rowBatch).fields[i]),
+        (*iter)->nextEncoded(*(dynamic_cast<StructVectorBatch&>(rowBatch).fields[i]),
                     numValues, notNull);
       } else {
-        (*ptr)->next(*(dynamic_cast<StructVectorBatch&>(rowBatch).fields[i]),
+        (*iter)->next(*(dynamic_cast<StructVectorBatch&>(rowBatch).fields[i]),
                     numValues, notNull);
       }
     }
@@ -932,10 +924,8 @@ namespace orc {
     std::unordered_map<uint64_t, PositionProvider>& positions) {
     ColumnReader::seekToRowGroup(positions);
 
-    for(std::vector<ColumnReader*>::iterator ptr = children.begin();
-        ptr != children.end();
-        ++ptr) {
-      (*ptr)->seekToRowGroup(positions);
+    for(auto& ptr : children) {
+      ptr->seekToRowGroup(positions);
     }
   }
 
@@ -1230,13 +1220,12 @@ namespace orc {
   class UnionColumnReader: public ColumnReader {
   private:
     std::unique_ptr<ByteRleDecoder> rle;
-    std::vector<ColumnReader*> childrenReader;
+    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ColumnReader>> childrenReader;
     std::vector<int64_t> childrenCounts;
     uint64_t numChildren;
 
   public:
     UnionColumnReader(const Type& type, StripeStreams& stipe);
-    ~UnionColumnReader() override;
 
     uint64_t skip(uint64_t numValues) override;
 
@@ -1275,18 +1264,11 @@ namespace orc {
     for(unsigned int i=0; i < numChildren; ++i) {
       const Type &child = *type.getSubtype(i);
       if (selectedColumns[static_cast<size_t>(child.getColumnId())]) {
-        childrenReader[i] = buildReader(child, stripe).release();
+        childrenReader[i] = buildReader(child, stripe);
       }
     }
   }
 
-  UnionColumnReader::~UnionColumnReader() {
-    for(std::vector<ColumnReader*>::iterator itr = childrenReader.begin();
-        itr != childrenReader.end(); ++itr) {
-      delete *itr;
-    }
-  }
-
   uint64_t UnionColumnReader::skip(uint64_t numValues) {
     numValues = ColumnReader::skip(numValues);
     const uint64_t BUFFER_SIZE = 1024;
diff --git a/c++/src/ColumnWriter.cc b/c++/src/ColumnWriter.cc
index 30d96acf33..2afd96f265 100644
--- a/c++/src/ColumnWriter.cc
+++ b/c++/src/ColumnWriter.cc
@@ -252,7 +252,6 @@ namespace orc {
                        const Type& type,
                        const StreamsFactory& factory,
                        const WriterOptions& options);
-    ~StructColumnWriter() override;
 
     virtual void add(ColumnVectorBatch& rowBatch,
                      uint64_t offset,
@@ -285,7 +284,7 @@ namespace orc {
     virtual void reset() override;
 
   private:
-    std::vector<ColumnWriter *> children;
+    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ColumnWriter>> children;
   };
 
   StructColumnWriter::StructColumnWriter(
@@ -295,7 +294,7 @@ namespace orc {
                                          ColumnWriter(type, factory, options) {
     for(unsigned int i = 0; i < type.getSubtypeCount(); ++i) {
       const Type& child = *type.getSubtype(i);
-      children.push_back(buildWriter(child, factory, options).release());
+      children.push_back(buildWriter(child, factory, options));
     }
 
     if (enableIndex) {
@@ -303,12 +302,6 @@ namespace orc {
     }
   }
 
-  StructColumnWriter::~StructColumnWriter() {
-    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < children.size(); ++i) {
-      delete children[i];
-    }
-  }
-
   void StructColumnWriter::add(
                                ColumnVectorBatch& rowBatch,
                                uint64_t offset,
@@ -2666,7 +2659,6 @@ namespace orc {
     UnionColumnWriter(const Type& type,
                       const StreamsFactory& factory,
                       const WriterOptions& options);
-    ~UnionColumnWriter() override;
 
     virtual void add(ColumnVectorBatch& rowBatch,
                      uint64_t offset,
@@ -2703,7 +2695,7 @@ namespace orc {
 
   private:
     std::unique_ptr<ByteRleEncoder> rleEncoder;
-    std::vector<ColumnWriter*> children;
+    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ColumnWriter>> children;
   };
 
   UnionColumnWriter::UnionColumnWriter(const Type& type,
@@ -2718,7 +2710,7 @@ namespace orc {
     for (uint64_t i = 0; i != type.getSubtypeCount(); ++i) {
       children.push_back(buildWriter(*type.getSubtype(i),
                                      factory,
-                                     options).release());
+                                     options));
     }
 
     if (enableIndex) {
@@ -2726,12 +2718,6 @@ namespace orc {
     }
   }
 
-  UnionColumnWriter::~UnionColumnWriter() {
-    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < children.size(); ++i) {
-      delete children[i];
-    }
-  }
-
   void UnionColumnWriter::add(ColumnVectorBatch& rowBatch,
                               uint64_t offset,
                               uint64_t numValues,
diff --git a/c++/src/Compression.cc b/c++/src/Compression.cc
index 362a6415af..91cf2f76cb 100644
--- a/c++/src/Compression.cc
+++ b/c++/src/Compression.cc
@@ -405,8 +405,8 @@ DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
                     MemoryPool& _pool
                     ): pool(_pool),
                        blockSize(_blockSize),
+                       input(std::move(inStream)),
                        buffer(pool, _blockSize) {
-    input.reset(inStream.release());
     zstream.next_in = nullptr;
     zstream.avail_in = 0;
     zstream.zalloc = nullptr;
@@ -683,7 +683,8 @@ DIAGNOSTIC_POP
                    (std::unique_ptr<SeekableInputStream> inStream,
                     size_t bufferSize,
                     MemoryPool& _pool
-                    ) : pool(_pool),
+                    ) : input(std::move(inStream)),
+                        pool(_pool),
                         inputBuffer(pool, bufferSize),
                         outputBuffer(pool, bufferSize),
                         state(DECOMPRESS_HEADER),
@@ -693,7 +694,6 @@ DIAGNOSTIC_POP
                         inputBufferPtr(nullptr),
                         inputBufferPtrEnd(nullptr),
                         bytesReturned(0) {
-    input.reset(inStream.release());
   }
 
   bool BlockDecompressionStream::Next(const void** data, int*size) {
diff --git a/c++/src/Options.hh b/c++/src/Options.hh
index 795e166138..95813319f3 100644
--- a/c++/src/Options.hh
+++ b/c++/src/Options.hh
@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@ namespace orc {
 
   ReaderOptions::ReaderOptions(ReaderOptions& rhs) {
     // swap privateBits with rhs
-    ReaderOptionsPrivate* l = privateBits.release();
-    privateBits.reset(rhs.privateBits.release());
-    rhs.privateBits.reset(l);
+    privateBits.swap(rhs.privateBits);
   }
 
   ReaderOptions& ReaderOptions::operator=(const ReaderOptions& rhs) {
@@ -155,9 +153,7 @@ namespace orc {
 
   RowReaderOptions::RowReaderOptions(RowReaderOptions& rhs) {
     // swap privateBits with rhs
-    RowReaderOptionsPrivate* l = privateBits.release();
-    privateBits.reset(rhs.privateBits.release());
-    rhs.privateBits.reset(l);
+    privateBits.swap(rhs.privateBits);
   }
 
   RowReaderOptions& RowReaderOptions::operator=(const RowReaderOptions& rhs) {
diff --git a/c++/src/TypeImpl.cc b/c++/src/TypeImpl.cc
index c154f2af04..363190d226 100644
--- a/c++/src/TypeImpl.cc
+++ b/c++/src/TypeImpl.cc
@@ -67,19 +67,12 @@ namespace orc {
     columnId = static_cast<int64_t>(root);
     uint64_t current = root + 1;
     for(uint64_t i=0; i < subtypeCount; ++i) {
-      current = dynamic_cast<TypeImpl*>(subTypes[i])->assignIds(current);
+      current = dynamic_cast<TypeImpl*>(subTypes[i].get())->assignIds(current);
     }
     maximumColumnId = static_cast<int64_t>(current) - 1;
     return current;
   }
 
-  TypeImpl::~TypeImpl() {
-    for (std::vector<Type*>::iterator it = subTypes.begin();
-        it != subTypes.end(); it++) {
-      delete (*it) ;
-    }
-  }
-
   void TypeImpl::ensureIdAssigned() const {
     if (columnId == -1) {
       const TypeImpl* root = this;
@@ -109,7 +102,7 @@ namespace orc {
   }
 
   const Type* TypeImpl::getSubtype(uint64_t i) const {
-    return subTypes[i];
+    return subTypes[i].get();
   }
 
   const std::string& TypeImpl::getFieldName(uint64_t i) const {
@@ -134,8 +127,8 @@ namespace orc {
   }
 
   void TypeImpl::addChildType(std::unique_ptr<Type> childType) {
-    TypeImpl* child = dynamic_cast<TypeImpl*>(childType.release());
-    subTypes.push_back(child);
+    TypeImpl* child = dynamic_cast<TypeImpl*>(childType.get());
+    subTypes.push_back(std::move(childType));
     if (child != nullptr) {
       child->parent = this;
     }
diff --git a/c++/src/TypeImpl.hh b/c++/src/TypeImpl.hh
index 054ceab5dc..c42d80af29 100644
--- a/c++/src/TypeImpl.hh
+++ b/c++/src/TypeImpl.hh
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace orc {
     mutable int64_t columnId;
     mutable int64_t maximumColumnId;
     TypeKind kind;
-    std::vector<Type*> subTypes;
+    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Type>> subTypes;
     std::vector<std::string> fieldNames;
     uint64_t subtypeCount;
     uint64_t maxLength;
@@ -58,8 +58,6 @@ namespace orc {
     TypeImpl(TypeKind kind, uint64_t precision,
              uint64_t scale);
 
-    virtual ~TypeImpl() override;
-
     uint64_t getColumnId() const override;
 
     uint64_t getMaximumColumnId() const override;
diff --git a/c++/src/Writer.cc b/c++/src/Writer.cc
index 81589902f8..66ecedec26 100644
--- a/c++/src/Writer.cc
+++ b/c++/src/Writer.cc
@@ -73,9 +73,7 @@ namespace orc {
 
   WriterOptions::WriterOptions(WriterOptions& rhs) {
     // swap privateBits with rhs
-    WriterOptionsPrivate* l = privateBits.release();
-    privateBits.reset(rhs.privateBits.release());
-    rhs.privateBits.reset(l);
+    privateBits.swap(rhs.privateBits);
   }
 
   WriterOptions& WriterOptions::operator=(const WriterOptions& rhs) {