The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-20
EFFORTS BEING MADE
TO SAVE YOUNG BOYS
Meeting to Advance the Work Will
Be Held To Morrow Night at
Commercial Club.
JUVENILE COURT IDEAS

A movement that. will probably be taken
up by the citizens OF indianapolis is the
one OF appointing probation officers to aid
In the work already started by Judge
Stubs and others in connection with the
Juvenile Court. The present work of the
probation officers has been carried on for
one year During that short time the
good which the people have done for the
young incorrigibles of the city is already
noticeable.
The idea at the present time is for a num-
Der OF the business men and citizens of the
city to take in charge small boy who has
been placed on parole BY Judge Stubbs, of
the Juvenile Court. for some crime. and
also TO look after the boys who out
on parole or probation from the reform
school at PlainfeId. Letters to $50 promi-
nent men of the city have been sent out
asking them to meet at the Commercial
Club tomorrow evening, when plans will
be drafted for a permanent organization
or the society. 1t is also desired that all
OF these people shall become probation Off
GERS AT this meeting speeches will be
made by prominent business men and peo-
pie who are experienced in the work
Among them are John w. Kern, president
or the Commercial Club: Judge Stubbs of
the Juvenile Court; Superintendent York
OF the Indiana Reform School for Boys,
and Attorney Thomas Collins. The person
who takes a boy on probation tries to Sc
cure position for him If he does not want
TO go to school or when there is some one
depending on his wages. The boy is re-
quired TO report TO this person at least once
week 1t has been found that this plan
Is about the best, the boy, in his week
" reports, soon finds out that he has
friends and begins 10 take an interest in
himself. In this manner much good is
accomplished and the boy instead of be
coming a pronounced criminal, becomes a
Woodworking youth.
The boys who had at one time been con-
fined in Plainfeld. gives the probation of
ncers the most work. There are about forty
probation officers at the present time. who
nave from one to eighteen cases each
under their supervision. During the last
year the volunteer officers had charge of
6e5 cases. OF this number % per cent were
c0Iored and seventy-one of them were girls.
The average age of the truants was from
fourteen 10 sixteen. OF this number 231
were placed on probation and at the pres
ent time they are probation and are
all working or going to school. In the case
OF child going TO school. the teacher
who has charge of it is asked to commu-
nfcate each week with the probation officers
30 that in case the child becomes unruly,
there may be some action taken Since the
first of January, this year. sixteen boys
have been placed on probation from Plain
field, in this city. One hundred boys are
now on parole In this city from Plainfield
Who the officers claim, should be proba-
tlOn- OF the cases taken charge of last
year. fifty-six were sent to the Reform
School. fifty-seven to the Mrs Julia WorjE
Industrial School at Plymouth. nineteen
girls to the Industrial School and seven
girls 20 the House of the Good Shepherd.
During the year the officers had charge
OF twenty-seven runaway boys and kept
them here until the relatives had been com
municated with. OF this number transpor-
fation was asked for only two from the
township trustee: The cost to Marion
county for boys kept at Plainfield is $40 a
year for each boy. At the Julia Work
School the cost is about 500. Most of the
boys arrested last year were on the charge
of petit larceny. lettering coming next.
Throwing stones and assault and battery
caused number of them to be placed on
proba ton.