Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-06
The stnIe YisiIing Agency.

| der my charge. / am thankful that the people
have thus been invited TO examine it and its
work. Although it has existed two years, has
| had salutarv eNePcise throughout the state, has
come to the knowledge of thousands, has bcnc-
| fitted many, has received the cordial approval of
| our magistrates, best thinkers and phllanthro-
pists, has attracted the attention and examination
! of governors and representative men of other
| states, and the law and some of its accomplish
ments has been giveu place in the publication
| of our own and foreign lands, some are yet ig-
| nOrant of the law and the agency, Your space
will not allow full exhibit of the duties Of the
| agency. With knowledge of these duties and
| the performance of them always comes belief in
| the wisdom, efficiency and economy of the law;
| therefore, we earnestly desire thorough eXami-
| nation of it and the agency in the daily exercise
of its duties and its work us it appears in its re-
ports.
The law which created the agency was en-
| acted by the legislature of 1869. Such was the
| success of the agency during the remainder of
| that year that the Legislature Of 1870 enlarged
| the provisions of the law by new draft, which
had the inspection and approval, before enact
ment, of quite number of our most promi-
nent Judges In the legislature it received, i'll
each branch, the favorable report of the com.
mittees on public charitable institutions and the
Judiciary, and had also the support OF the com
mittee on prisons. The discussion of the bill in
the legislature was unusually full and critical
In the session of the present year. after exam
nation by two committees and discussion in
both branches, the provisions of the law were
made more inclusive. The law was made for
and is exercised in the interest of juvenile often
ders and dependents, those who have become
wards of the state, those who have come under
its restraint, and those who are candidates for
its care and custody. These classes are found
in the public institutions, in families through
out New England where they have been placed,
and daily in the courts. With those in each OF
these conditions the agency has something to
Il in thn IN fbrpn nst
juvenile offenders, and one for juvenile depend
ents. In these several institutions there are to-
day between eight and nine hundred children.
The admission to them last year were six hun
dred and sXty-thrce (663). There went out
from them six hundred and seventy (670). The
admissions were on account of offence and de-
pendence. The departures were by discharge,
probation and iudcnture,
The state has for many years maintained the
practice of indenturing children admitted or
committed to its rcfOimatories and almshouscs.
Whether in the institutions or placed out, they
are under the control of the state during their
minority, unless discharged thcrefrom. There
ale now fifteen hundred of these children inden-
turcd and in places throughout New England,
still under the care of the state. There are an
nually brought before the courts OF the state
between seventeen and eighteen hundred chill
drcn under seventeen years of age, charged
with OtfenseS other than those against city Ordi-
names and town bylaws. These are all cIndi-
OdtCS IOr IDe p0DIc lllStltutlOnS ana II IHeN 20
there they become Burdens upon, and cost TO
the state. The visiting agency comes in contact
and has TO do with these several classes of chill
drGn in these ways; First, with those who 20
out from the institutions, by an investigation of
all applications for their discharge, or to take
them by indenture, or in any way to effect their
release, and TO report thereon; and by seeking
out persons suitable and willing to take charge
of the Wards Of the state. Second, by visiting
all those places out from the institutions, to as
certain their condition, situation and progress
from viciuusness and dependence toward condi-
tons of virtue and selfsupport; to correct
abuses aud enforce contracts made in their be-
half, and to remove SO far as may be the nu-
mcrOuS difficulties that such erriug and depend
ent wards oil the state encounter. The state has
undertaken the care and control of them, and il
cannot set them adrilt unmatched and unguard-
ed, in justice TO them or in safety to itself.
Third, the agency comes in contact with these
children by an appearance in the courts when
ever any child under seventeen years is ar
ragned.
When complaint has been made, the visit
ING agent is notified thereof, has an opportunity
to investigate the case, and then appear at the
trial by himself or assistant, as the friend of the
child; and he also appears for the state, who
becomes party in interest, as the result OF the
trial may be the custody OF the child, and his or
her support by the state for long term of
years. Some of these children arc Of tender
years; the offences charged arc sometimes
grave, oftentmes trivial. Not unfrequently
complaints arc made for Interior purposes.
Heretofore want of information about the homes
and circumstances of the child has caused many
to be sent to the state institutions for corrcc-
ton and support, who should not have been
victims of desire to shiTk natural responsible
ty. Now the investigations OF this agency in
their exhibition to the courts prevents such dis
poSal. Except in rare cases, no one but the
visiting agent appears for the child, and never
other in the state in these
These children, not having the advantages of
mature Judgment, and lacking the knowledge OF
admit criminals, which, if possessed, might be
the means of their defence, are protected by the
agency from possible injustice. Some of the re-
suits of the agency have been ascertainng and
making accessible a knowledge of how many
children there are in the care and custody of the
state and what has been the effect of its retorm-
atory measures, and the value of them. Before
the establishment of the agency it was not
known how many children there were under the
care of the state, or where in many cases they
were located or how situated, or how those who
had gone out from the public institutions had
subsequently behaved and prospered.
Second. The children placed out and inden-
tured are now better cared for than formerly,
from the influence of its visits to them.
Third. There is a less number of children in
the institutions and less are sent to them than
formerly, although under the present law the
class that can be committed to the reformatorles
is larger than before its passage. Since the es-
adjustment ct the agency the state has been en-
abled to sell all of its school ships for want of
subjects for ii, and the remaining institutions
have no excess of numbers. Fewer children are
arragned before the coults than heretofore, and
there is confesSedly better condition and behay-
ior among the youths of the state. The COM
mitments of children to the rcformatories were
one hundred and eighteen less, and to the .iails
eightytwo less in the year 1870 than 1869. Only
a little over two-tenthS of all those now ar
raigned are committed to the public institutions,
thereby becoming public charges; all others are
found homes, put on probation or discharged
without mourning the discredit of commitments
TO public institutions or becoming burdens TO
the state.
Fourth. The agency results in direct saving
in money to the state. We consider the saving
of money but secondary to the saving of chill
dren from viciousness and crime, and do not
commend the agency to the public as money
saving institution, but rather ask its regard as
a means of human salvation. Yet such is its
practical character and effect that it not only
saves money by the indirect way ofpreventing
children from becoming criminals, and thereby
pccuniary burdens upon the state, but saves
money in direct and tangible ways. For every
dollar expended by the agency, nearly three are
saved by it to the state in single branch Of its
business. The whole cost of the agency for the
year was S18,152 %; while the amount saved
by its court practice was S34 1873 G5. Under the
provisions of the present law magistrates "upon
the request of the visiting agent may authorize
the board of state charities to take and inden-
turc, or place IN homes such children as he can
thus provide for" This action only comes after
conviction and rs a better method in these cases
than commitment to state institution would
he. In the year 1870 the visiting agency took
from the courts one hundred and thirteen Q13)
of these convicted ones, all Of whom would have
gone into the state reformatores but for its ac-
ton. One hundred and five (105l of these did
well and were not again subjects of complaint.
1t cost less than four hundred dollars $4,000 to
prepare these children to enter homes, where
they remained without further cost to the state.
1t would have cost the state S34, 1888 IS to have
provided for them in the state institutions, they
remaining the average length of time. Thus in
this one branch of the work of the agency, in one
year, was saved to the state by the agency 1884,
1888 IS, as stated above.
The probation of one hundred and eighty-nine
convicted ones was secured at the solicitation of
the agent, and the visitation of the agency Sc
cured their subsequent well doing. Many OF
these would have gone into the public institu-
tons for discipline and support without such
action. Thousands Of dollars were thereby
saved to the state. The economy of the agency
might be still further illustrated if space per-
mitted. The agency does not exist for the sup
port of children, but lorthe purpose of bringing
lii