The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-19
SAVES CHILDREN
And BIG EXPENSE
JUVENILE COURT PLAN PRESENT.
ED BY JUDGE T. D. HURLEY.
He Cites Statistics from States Where
Such Courts Are in Operation, Show
ing That They Have Reduced Crime
and Saved Public Expense Minneso-
ia Law to Be Proposed.

A great impetus to the movement for
a juvenile court law in Minnesota has
been given by the visit Of Judge T. D..
Hurley Of Chicago, who spoke last even,
Saturday evening to smaller gathering
of those particularly interested, at the
residence Of Mrs, E. G. Crosby, 624
Tenth street s.
Judge Hurley is working for definite
and uniform law in all the states, and
is seconded by the National Conference
Of Charities and Corrections, which be-
,lieves the Juvenile court to be an i'm
portant factor in reducing and prevent
ing crime.
Briefly stated, the plan is to provide
courts where all delinquent children un-
der. Is years of age may be brought by
their: parents or guardians and given a
police court. By this method, and the
Children can be IKE kept from becoming
hardened criminals, and the state is
saved immense sums that otherwise
would be expended thru the municipal
ter incorrigibility no summons are
served; it is not necessary to. appear
before the grand jury, and no jury sits
on the various cases.
Judge Hurley's presentation of the
need for the general adoption Of such g
plan was eloquent and sensible. The
court a crying necessity, and he pre-
ssented the advantages of the system
from the standpoint of humanity, econ
omY, expediency and fairness.
The operation Of the court was ex
planned at length and the speaker gave
statistics to show it's value in raising
in the effective prevention Of crime
The law is successful in New York
Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colo
RADIO, Maryland and other states as wei
as in Canada, Eng land, France am
Japan and to these states and countrie
proof Of the efficacy Of the system:
Gas an economy Judge Hurley de
clared "noobody, whether opposed
friendly or Indifferent to the law, will
contend that it is not. a saving in dol
lars and cents. Speaking of the say
county, Illinois, figures. A total of As:
boys, taken care of in court by the usua
criminal machinery, occasioned cos
Of $lO5, 475. Under the juvenile meth
cd 454 boys were handled at cost o:
$14,648: These figures show a savinl
to Cook county Of $90sS27: Since tn
Of jurisdiction in child criminality ha
been reduced 20 per cent?
Continuing, the speaker presented
statistics showing the reduction of
similar nature in Colorado, particular,
IN Denver.
with reference to moral results, ,
said Judge Hurley, "the figures are jus
as strongly in our favor. In Chicag
we have fifteen districts, in each O.
which there is a special juvenile cour
officer. The officer is in most cases
woman, and what compensation she re
ceives is paid by the Women 8 club. TIL
officers, by virtue Of their positions, ar
the moral guardians of all children VIII
their respectiye d disRtricts court iron
work of fhh sw here The 6e ad thS Sroas
into court. The offense is named. The
the court, in conjunction with the guar
dian, decides upon the best method o
procedure, with particular reference t
that child. The idea is to start an
keep the child going right, regardless
of other considerations.
: "In doing this it may be necessary t
interest priest, employers, parent!
friends, neighbors, teachers or Others
Sometimes all of them are used; some
: times a part; no rule is followed, an
: the immediate circumstances and COZ
ditions surrounding the case Away
l inspire that particular method Of treat
ment.''
,, Judge Hurley's visit to Minneapoli
was not 50 much to start .juvenil
the plan already under way: At tn
izing such courts will be submitted, an
it will be shaped to conform to the idea
of the National Conference Of Charlie
and C0rrectiOns