New-York tribune., 1906-04-04

courts. and special quarters for minors under
arrest. necessary as all declare it TO be. will
be work Of time In France where the written
law, the Code Napoleon. is not easily altered.
In another respect however the example OF
the American magistrates. as described by NJ
Julhiet. at once followed. and February
16. two three days only after the memorable
lecture saw the American system of liberty on
parole introduced into the Paris law courts by
Justice ROty. Tribune readers are doubtless
familiar with the working of the children's
courts and the admirable results obtained
thereby. The annual report of the Court OF
Special Sessions Of New York for 1904 shows
that out OF 3749 children brought before the
magistrates i'm the of the year in that
ctv 1O9s were released on parole OF these
more than So per cent made such improvement
that they were finally discharged or released
under suspension Of sentence" Such children
are Obliged to report themselves once a week
to the chief parole officer, whose agents at the
same time visit both the homes and schools of
the defendants and keep records Of their con-
duct
Hitherto the Paris magistrate has had three
courses open TO him when trying the juvenile
offender. He could confide him TO the care of
a relative. TO some charitable person or insti-
tuition TO be selected by himself, or to the AS
sistance Publque, the state department re-
sponsible for foundlings and destitute or
abandoned children. At the same time, If the
child's parents so wished. he could sentence
him TO short term of Imprisonment in a soli-
tary CELL or these courses, the magistrate
in a large number of cases prefers 10 hand the
first offender over TO Maftre Rollet, who. in his
barrister's cap and gown may always be seen
at the Jaw courts in the Eighth Correctional
Chamber when any minors are arraigned This
gentleman receives such children in home in
the Rue de Rennes, teaches them a trade and
places them out in the country
On February 16, however. Justice Roty made
the innovation described by NJ Julhiet Three
first offenders brought before that magistrate
We're released on parole and returned TO their
homes. Both defendant and family were placed
under observation Of the closest possible kind
and the experiment is being watched with the
greatest interest
In Paris the Prefect Of Police has decided to
place the important work of watching these
young probationers and their homes in the hands
of the inspectors of the Assistance Publioue
who viii work in conjunction with the school,
masters. If the probationer's conduct should
prove unsatisfactory this provisional liberty
VIII be Withdrawn and the child relegated to
a reformatory or such other institution as the
magistrate shall consider most suitable As A
matter OF fact. many experiments have been
tried in France in order to find A satisfactory
way Of dealing with first offenders FstabIisb-
ments of various kinds exist and have nrovad
very costly to the state while yielding wholly
inadequate results. The French magistrature is
now convinced that where the offence ,ro,,o7
against the youthful offender is of a minor char
acter and where the home is respectable. II is
much better TO return the minor TO his narants
while keeping him under judicial observation