The Saint Paul globe., 1903-11-08

4
main reasons for the delinquen-
cy Of SO many Juveniles" says Proba-
ton officer Graves Though there has
been q notable increase in the number
of juveniles placed on probation since
the present system was established In
1900, there was, owing to the manner
in which the children are now handled,
been q marker decrease in the number
sent to- the, state training school
In 1900, the first year the system
was put into effect In Ramsey county,
seventy Juveniles were placed on pro-
baton, and forty-two Of those were
committed to the training school. Com
pairing that year with the year ending
July 81, 19e3, when 270 were placed on
probation ana thirty nine were COM
mitted to the training school, 1t will be
seen that during the year 1900 80 per
cent Of the number on probation were
committed to the training school, while
during 1903 only little over IL per
cent were committed, a decrease Of
nearly 49 per cent.
During the two years ending July
81, 1903, go persons under the age of
charged with some offense. OF these
458 were placed on probation. There
were nineteen on probation July 81,
1901, making the total on probation
during the past two years ATT. One
hundred and one of those on probation
in the two years 323 were honorably
disorderly conduct: 81 for incorrigibil-
ity, 184 for petit larceny and the bal
ance for various small offenses. Dur
inf the two years 323 We're honorably
discharged from probation, So were
otherwise. disposed of, l was sent to the
reformatory, and the remainder COM
mitted cor returned to the training
school. Ninety-one remained on pro-
baton at the end of the year, July 81,
1908. a
From these figures" continued Mr..
Graves, fs'it appears that there has been
an increase in the. number of juvenile
offenders in three yeaEs and it must be
so with the increase sin population
without corresponding increase In
vigilance on the part of the authorities
in keeping the children at school and
in proper environment. Until some
systematic effort Is made by the prop
er authorities to prevent truancy, Ju-
venile offenders Will continue to in
crease. Rigid. enforcement of the COM
less lessen the numberFof juvenile Of
tenders. #@%s&
Home influences, alsosin many cases
which have come under my observa-
ton, have not been Of the character
calculated to promote moral training.
Many girls and boys become Offenders
as result Of their parents permitting
them to run the streets at all hours. In
nine cases out Of ten the boy or girl
who is educaetd on tie streets will go
to the bad.
Home Life Shapes Character.
@The home life is what shapes the
character Of the child, and If parents
are careless Of their boys and girls,
leaving them to run wild without car
ing for them beyond furnishing them
with scanty clothing and food. the re-
suit is bad children, who find their way
into the police court. Under the pres
ent system of probation the parents
are reminded Of their responsibility.
They are shown that If they will not
care for their children the, state will.
and in many cases we have by keeping
a strict surveillance over the children
worked reform in the parents, and,
through them In the children. 1t is in
disputable that by keeping young
offenders on for periods long enough to
impress upon them that they have been
acting wrongly, permanent reforms
have been effected. Where the boys
show marked criminal instinct the
only thing to do is to send them to the
training school. where they may be
kept from temptation and may be
given such education as to change their
natural inclinations. THE ordinary
boy, on the other hand, who is the vic
tim of evil company, OF who commits
an offense through ignorance or care
lessness. may be changed for the bet
ter by being kept underdsurveillance.
'The probation system offers the
widest field for solving, the boy prob
lem, and the money expended on q
well organized, efficient, system, that
regularly and systematically looks aft
er the boys committed to its charge,
will prove to be productive of better
results than the same amount expend-
ed upon any correctional institution.
.eThe probation officer tries to act
for the best interest of the boy, and In
doing so frequently compels the par
ents to be better citizens in order to
save the child from being taken away.
The assistance, advice and direction
| that a probation officer can give to
| this element in community has the
effect Of elevating the plane not only
Of the erring boys, but also the fam1-
| lies, the homes and the friends among
whom they live.
Besides the hundreds of cases that