The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-10-14
OPERATIONS OF THE
JUVENILE COURT,
10 he Editor % NJ Eeg.huc

To tie Editor % IT, Eeg.buG
ST. Louis. oct. I@-ThoSe persons who
I have attended a session OF the Juvenile
Court Of st. Louis cannot fail 10 be i'm
pressed with the vast superiority Of this
new method OF dispensing justice 10
children. Formerly children were tried
in the Court OF Criminal Correction and
police courts. with other adult offenders
OF the lowest class. In the former court.
Will awaiting trial. they were confined in
an iron cage with theSe older criminals,
and when at last they were each in his
turn called TO sppezr before the Judge
who knew nothing OF any culprit except
That 4 formal charge had been entered
AGAINST him. the case was summarily dis
posed OF and the boy or girl either dis
charged Frequently To repeat the Olfeusel
or sent Co a penal institution. there being
no middl course.
BY this same former method the young
offender. between the time Of his ~arraign-
ment and trial. usually spent several days
and frequently a longer period in the in
foctious atmosphere OF crime in the Jail.
What changes have been Effected by the
enactment OF the juvenile probation and
juvenile court laWSg In the first place,
children are no longer confined in Jail In
a majority Of cases the offender is re-
turned 20 his own home after investiga-
ton by the probation officer OF the
charges against him.. and he is left in the
care of his parents. vino are instructed to
produce him At 4 specified time in court.
and who rarely fail to 10 so. as they re-
speCt the law. Should the child. however.
not appear on the day OF trial a warrant
Is issued. In serious cases the delinquent
IS sent for a few days 90 the House Of
Refuge until the next session OF the Juve-
nile Court.
From The Juvenile Court older offenders
are excluded and the atmosphere Is not
charged with crime. Before the day OF
trial each case has been thoroughly in
vestiEated BY the probation officer As TO
the conditions surrounding the offender
and leading to the oGcnse. and these
facts. entered in brief. are before the
Judge. who Is thus snlblcd to decide
whether the child should be removed from
Old associations and sent 20 a ~rcfurmIfUTy
or LETT IN his own home Tor "a period in
charge OF the probation officer. the pri-
mary object in yigW being reformation
Ar. Herman Hurchert. Chief Probation
Officer FOR 81. Louis. has kindly furnished
the following statistics showing work per
formed In tn. Juvenile Cour ~ 81. Louis
Tor i've months. beginning Nry ] and
ending September - lNG" during which
period there were hfty-tvo sessions.
Judge Foster presided in the Juvenile
court from its Inception. except for the
month OF August. the vacation period.
Hnen Judge kiEealy presided"
During this period ~ five months the to-
nj number Of hearings was go. 81 defend
ANS % ~delinqucnts- OF the - de-
endants 8 were returned TO the care OF
relatives or friends" 70 only committed 10
the House OF Refuge and 9 20 private in
stitutons. OF the - delinqueuts- 10 were
EENEM I'D Hmw uHwHaaH - HHH-.HHHHHaa - -
hctent evidence" lis were DISCHARGED or
dismissed By the court and only > held
TOT the Grand jury Ihirty-twn boys
were committed to the Missouri Training
school at BOOnVille. e. most excellent re-
tormatory. and two cirlS 10 the Industrial
Home at Chillicuthe. also admirably con-
Quoted: y offenders were sent 70 the
House Of Refuge. which llhorS under the
disadvantage Of insufficient facility for In
dustrial training.
The most cheerful item IN Mr.. HDr-
chertS report g. tho statement that -
children were PLACED on probation. and
only -, less than s per cent. Of that num-
well for the eficIeucv. faithfulness and
zeal OF tho probation officers. REGARDING
protaloners We quote from Mr.. Hor-
chertS report. Boys VINO have been pa
rolled are required 90 report to the court
at stated intervals. ranging from once a
week 20 once a month. and are discharged
whenever the Judge thinks the bow has de
served IL by continued good conduct ard
regularity OF reporting 10 court. II a hoy
Willfuily u or n his . during
his probation has been such a. not 10
warrant further leniency. his parole b re-
voked and a sentence provided by law eN-
ecuted. In many Instances the probation
officer visits the home OF the boy or girl
placed In his care, and exercise a strict
watch over him or her. visiting. n neces-
saTH. the school or place OF employment.
Boys who are paroled are required 10
pay the costs OF court. and II at work. 10
pay them out Of their own earnings. as adj
ditiOnal discipline. In this way the court
makes itself partly sgif-sustaininE~
Mr.. Horchert also states that parents
when they can afford to do so are re-
quired 10 pay the maintenance OF tho
chld. either wholly or IN part. at the Mis-
souri, Training School FOR BOYS al Roon-
vile. or the Industrial School at Chilli
Gothic for Girls.
The Juvenile Court is now recognized AZ
an essential part Of che court system IN
all our large cities. n we gar the nrea-
ent only. the cost b. small. since 80 many
offenders are kept "ut n tails and rcfor-
maturies- II We r gard the future. aside
from humane motive. 70 T. a profitable in
vestment TO save boys from a criminal ca
reer which entails untold expense on TIC
MRS. HENRY W. ELIOT.