The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-26
FAVOR BILL FOR
JUVENILE COURT
School and Police Departments Urge
Passage.
WILLIS BROWN GIVES VIEW
WELL KNOWN LECTURER BE-
FORE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.

No doubt is expressed that house
}oiiI No. 1s1. by Marks. providing for
Juvenile courts in cities of che first
md second classes, will be favora bly,
reported by the house committee on
judiciary to which it was referred. A
recommendation for passage is ex-
pected at either Mondays or Tuesdays
session
Marks bin is the natural outcome of
conditions with which Salt Lakes ex-
ecutive and judiciary departments have
struggled for the past few years in
Naln-the problem Of correcting youths
from the life Of crime after they have
once started on the downward path.
The complete title of the DILL. which
gives in skeleton outline the points
covered by the various sections. fol-
lows:
AN act providing for Juvenile courts.
providing for the appointment of pro-
baton officers. outlining their duties
Snd specifying their compensation;
providing a method of procedure
against Juvenile delinquents. specify
ing places for their temporary and per
nlanent detention. and the compensa-
ton for their care; providing for the
time and place of trial: defining delin-
Guent child and delinquent person: and
providing punishment for all delin-
quents"
Willis Brown For Bill.
The bill has no heartier supporter
than Willis Brown of Chicago. founder
and director general of the American
Snti-cigarette league. Mr.. Brown re-
turned to Salt Lake only few days
ago from the east, where he and his
associates in the anti-cigarette fight
would prohibit the sale of ''coffin
halls Since his arrival in the city
Mr. Brown has been conducting, be-
sides his anti-cigarette fight. a cam
paign in favor Of Marks measure.
Already he has appeared before the
judiciary committee of the house and
lointed out the praiseworthy objects
q the bill. Both he and superintendent
OF Schools u. II. Christensen were
questioned by the committee at it's
meeting Friday morning and their re-
plies created much favorable senti-
Dent.
Chief Lynch FaVors Plan.
Mr.. Brown has conferred with Chief
81 Police w. J. Lynch on the PROPOSE
ton to give Salt Lake a juvenile court
and probationary system and finds
mat the latter feels that the bill pro-
Nides satisfactory method for the
handling of youthful offenders. The
bill thus has the support of one of the
best known students of the "boy prob
lem in this country, and of the heads
CT the educational and executive de-
Tartments of this city
Nearly every state in the Union"
said MIR. Brown i'm discussing the bill.
has some method of handling it's ju-
Nenile offenders. either by placing
them under the Jurisdiction of the dis
trict court. or by the better way such
~ this bill proposes, of a separate and
distinct court
This bill provides in clear lam
Euage the method of procedure against
any child Of the age of Is years or
under. 1t would have all children ar
= esteds With or without a warrant
taken directly before the Juvenile
court. Where the child is taken before
a police magistrate on a complaint
sworn out In that court the bill states
that it is the duty of the magistrate
Immediately to transfer the case to the
juvenile department. 1t thus takes
from justices of the peace or police
magistrates jurisdiction over any child
Of IS or under
Features of Bill.
The advantage of such procedure,
/ think, will appear clear if an ex-
animation of the police records are
made. Often it is found that boys will
he arrested and released upon sus-
pended sentence. From the moment
of their release they are practically
beyond the reach of the court until
they are tempted To again commit
some crime. There is no check on their
conduct.
At present, some may say, boys ma V
be sent to the industrial school and
there be reformed. This bill also pro-
NiGes that the juvenile court may COM
init the child TO the industrial school.
However, there are hundreds of cases
where medium between the reform
school and free rein must be sought
This medium is the probationary sys-
tenn. providing that juvenile offenders
may be committed to the care of pro-
bation officers. The children are al
lowed to remain at their own homes.
subject 10 the visitation of the officer
and may be required 10 report to the
court or probation officer as often as
desired. Or. if the court so rules. the
child may be placed temporarily i'm A
suitable family home subject to the
supervision of the probation officer.
NO one viii deny, l believe. that the
stigma OF the reform industrial school
clings to q boy or girl for years
Further, once released from the in