Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-28

taken out of the police courts where jus
tice, owing to the tremendous pressure of
business and the character of the adult of
tenders arraigned had to be dealt out in
more or less of machine-like way.
THE law establishing the children's court
provides that it must be in a building en-
tirely separate and distinct from that used
by any other court. IN our. court you will
find none of the criminal atmosphere which
usually peryades the ordinary criminal
court room. An effort is made to make the
court seem as little possible like the
places for the trial of adults charged with
crime. Five justices of the court of special
sessions rotate in sitting in the children S
court. The justice who sits in that court
acts as magistrate, judge and jury. Under
the new system there is abundant time to
go thoroughly into the details of every
case and with the valuable assistance of
the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
TO Children the court is able to learn all
about the home surroundings of the child
before the case comes up for final DISPOSE
ton. 1t should be stated in this connection
that for years the laws of this state have
not permitted a child under the age of six
teen to be locked in a cell or in a station
house or a jail. Immediately on arrest the
child IS taken to the Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Children, where there
are large, bright, clean and comfortable
detention rooms and dormitories Pending
the disposition of the case in the childrens
court the child is detained in these rooms.
10 ASSIST Eacn Cn1id.
1.-THE plan is to assist each child who
has been convicted to work out his refor-
nation without commitment TO an institu-
ton, if possible. OF course. in a number of
cases the offense has been so serious that it
has been necessary to commit at once
Improper guardianship, as well as criminal
where a child is found without proper
guardianship it is committed to chart
table and not to reformatory institution.
In this plan of assisting the child to work
out his own salvation the parole system IS
used. In the past year 1,69S children were
placed on parole after conviction. This
meant that they were obliged to report
once week to Mr.. e. Fellows Jenkins.
OF Cruelty to Children; that the agents of
the society Were constantly visiting the
home aod watching the conduct of the
child and that at the end of the parole
period the child was Obliged to appear in
court again, when the court, from the re-
ports submitted by the society, decided
what should be the final disposition of the
case.
Sentences Suspended.
often the child is re-paroled, or if the
report is very good, sentence is suspended.
THIS means that as long as the child be-
HAYES himself he will have his liberty. but
at any time he does not conduct himself
properly bench warrant may issue for
his arrest and he may be committed. OF
the 1,0oS children who were placed on
parole last year it was necessary to COM
NIT only 40.
.'Of the total Of 1851 children arraigned
last year. 1,S59 We're committed to institu-
iions. The number of children convicted,
including those without proper guardian
ship, was 4, I06. The number acquitted and
discharged was asia.
AS I have alreary stated, the offenses
included most of the charges enumerat ted
in the penal code. The court has jurisdic-
ton over all criminal offeIases except that
of homicide, which, of course, are tried,
after Indictment, before jury.
1.-The subject is so large that have been
able to give you but glimpse of the work.
1t Is the principle of prevention, as well as
punishment. which distinguishes the chill
drens courts, and marks them as most
valuable step in the bettermenf of human
conditions 1t must be remembered that in
these courts we are dealing with children
who are to be future citizens.