The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-10-17
(COmmunicatiOn,)
Monroe, La, Sept. 80, 1908.

Editor ST. MARY BANNER -
Since l have been City Judge of
the City of Monroe, one of the
greatest problems with which
Inave been confronted was what
to 90 with the white juvenile Grim
inals and Migrants.
Each year this class grows larg-
er and the offenses they commit
graver, SO that the conclusion l
have reached is that Louisiana
stands very much in need of a re-
formatory where all juveniles may
be sent and an attempt made to
fit them to become good and use
full citizens.
The history of such institutions
in other States is that IS per cent
of the inmates when released, do
not return to their previous habits
but become honorable citizens.
venture to assert that there are
in Louisiana no less than 500
white boys between the ages of
eight and sixteen years who have
committed an offense ofsome kind
which would under our present
laws be consign to either the jail or
the penitentiary. In both places
they would come in contact with
adult criminals and when released
the majority of them would again
be before the courts for some still
graver offense.
A recent occurrence before the
city court of Monroe brings strong
ly to my mind the necessity for
State reformatory. Three white
boys aged respectively, ten, four
teen and sixteen years were arrest
ed and brought before me on the
charge of larceny, burglary and
bulldozing. Each denied his
guilt. They were ordered locked
up fer twenty-four hours. At the
expiration of that time the young
er boy-he had neither mother or
father living, while the fathers OF
the other two boys had died seve-
raj years ago-made a confession
before me and his companions
that would have startled any faith
er had he heard it and thoroughly
impressed upon him the necessity
of doing something for the young
sters who have no one to look
after their we'll being.
All three of the offenders were,
under the law, fit subjects for the
pcnitentiary. | took them into
my confidence, appealed to their
better natures and paroled them,
conditions on their good behavior.
I reported their case as well as
those of a number of other juvenile
offenders to the grand jury of
Ouachita Parish. This body is
composed of some of the best men
in the parish, and their action in
the matter is best told in their re-
port made last week to Judge L.
E. Hall in the District Court.
They said: "During our session
several violations of the law by
juveniles have been reported to
us, and owing to their tender age
we are of the opinion. that better
results would be attained both for
themselves and the general public
by confinement in a reformatory
than in a Jail or penitentiary, and
as our information is that of such
offenders are more or less common
in every community, we digress
from the matters usually contain
ed in the report of a Grand Jury
by making suggestion herein,
with the desire of adding our mite
to any effort that may be made
towards the establishment of such
an institution by the State.'
l feel it is the duty of the State
to make necessary provisions for
9 reformatory. AS the time is
approaching for the election of
representatives to the next legis-
lature, on behalf of our fallen
youth and helpless widows, ap-
peal to the press of Louisiana
to make a State reformatory for
juvenile offenders an issue in
this campaign, believing if they
will do so proper laws gov
erning same will be enacted and
this State will in a large measure
solve one of the greatest problems
that confronts its society.
CrJAc CCrrrYD1