The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-11-05
THE BOY AND THE LAW.

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Every code of laws has for its aim and =
object the protection and preserving =
nyiolate of the constitutional rights :,
IF every member of the community, :,
together with the providing OF penal !,
ties for violations of its statutes. 1t is =
an evident fact that the extent of re- y
sponsibility for wrong committed :
should, in all fairness, be measured by
the qualifications of the mind which .
conceived the preparation OF the .
wrong, and the punishment be regu-
lated in proportion to the graveness OF
the otfense. Where boy is charged
with crime the mere fact of his youth
should, in justice, be judged in itself
as mitigating circumstance. His IN
experience lack of keen perception,
the natural carelessness of youth, in
ability to accurately distinguish the
difference of right and wrong, and in
fact the very nature of things renders
him incapable of perceiving with the
more precise understanding of an
adult the full meaning and serious
ness of his wrongful acts. Youth sell
dom sins with willful intent; it is the
unprecedented impulse of the mo-
ment which govern him in his eager
ness to overstep the bounds of boyish
prank. No designed criminal inten-
ton, inordinate love of gaudy notori-
ETY. or studied plans of depravity can
be attributed as the cause of offenses
usually charged to juveniles, as their
misdeeds are generally of character
partaking more of reckless behavior
than intentional crime, and it is assum-
ing too much to expect strict account
ability for technical breaking of the
penal code before they reach the age
of responsibility.
When arrested he is, of course, una
BILE to comprehend the forms, proce-
dures and bewildering paraphrases OF
legal lore which greet him on every
side. and in his efforts to disprove the
crime charged to him, he only too Of
ten, by his inability to express himself,
!, causes it to appear far worse than it
, really is, in which he is ably assisted
bv the cupidity of officials who care
. nothing for the justice of his case, but
look solely to the fees which his con-
= viction secures to them. If, as is often
:. the case. without friends or counsel to
r guard his every interest, and secure
r the rights and privileges which law ano
J.. the immunities of youth are supposed
+. to grant, he is, whether innocent OF
y guilty, completely at the mercy an(
4 disposal of the court which tries him
" With no one to advise or guide him
,s he must in his helplessness rely OF
o. what he believes to be the justice o
~ his case. Placed on the witness stan'
n before a crowded court room, to tel
n his simple story, he feels, and is NOR
q. or less controlled by that annoying
Is sense of fear, or stage fright, so pect
he liar to the defendant in crlmlns
rs trial. A cunningly worded question
is asked in his confusion, draws forth az
ch missions which, while to him meanln
se. one thing, is by the wording OF tf
ch question easily construed by others
,r. mean it's very contradiction. Traine
os LAWYERS tear and denounce his ev
.es dence, impugn every good point whlt
he may be brought forward to extenua
sts the case on trial, and characterize n
N. every movement as the manner and
mr. havior of nascent criminal.
,ur Take boy in his natural, rompl1
los state, and his every action will
an looked on as boyish frolic: but pla
len him in a court room arraigned +
nd. crime and those same actions will
md made to appear as the airs of you
md ruffian. It's the fickleness of judgmel
no. or prejudice of the imagination ada
in ing itself to circumstances. Your b
our learns by sore experience the holl'
ass sham of that hoary fallacy that $
men are equal before the law" III
:. is a man charged. with crime viii
when compared with the boys, is as
,ble oak to sapling; but the older
r. more hardened sinner holds the ma