The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1906-05-12

up dis time. On de level, judge. I'll
quit bein' crooked if yer only gives
me anudder chance. Please, yer
honor, judge, and I'll play de game
on de square. Honest, Judged Cross
me heart; hope to die, il dey catches
me again.
When small boy stands before
the bar OF justice, convicted of steal
ing from a candy-stand, robbing Mr.
Moneybag's orchard or some other
petty offense, the Judge who is about
to impose sentence holds in his hand
the key to that boys future. Maybe
he thinks that society will best be
protected if the lad is put away in d
penal institution, or maybe he has an
idea that there is something good in
the little chap after all, and that I'M
der proper conditions it can be
brought out
Whatever is in the mind 81 The JUS
tice, it is meme the less tru" that the
career OF the prisoner depends who'll
~ upon the outcome Of the trial
And the way i'll which Juvenile offend
erS have been treated in the past by
courts OF law, is, we regret to say,
responsible Tor many Ol the hardened
and often lrreclaimablc criminals Of
today.
Until recent years the childish Of
fender was Judged in the same court
and on the same footing a, tn, adult
prisoner. No special effort was
made to understand the child nature.
or the character of the individual lit
tie offender. For perhaps 4 trivial
offense, the CHILD was hurried off to
the 'formatory", which. with its
rigid rules. with its domiratun by po-
htical bosses, with it, attitude oi SUR
VIGILANCE or even hostility, vas more
likely to deiorm than reform the
moral nature, \ boy VIII, went into
the rciOrmatory because he was
caught playing bail ON the street or
lounging on the corner, too often fin
ished his term OF confinement ready
to cheat lie or steal
But the worst Influence on the i'm
pressionable child character came in
the days uSt after his arrest, while he
awaited trial He was often placed
in the same cell with murdcrcrs or
thieves or other hardened criminals,
who took delight in instructing the
child in ways OF wickcdncss.
With the development 81 the Jul
venile Court system. these evils are
growing less The States have REF
cognzed the fact that they were real
ly educating a criminal class, to be-
come a menace to the nation; and
one by one they have inaugurated
juvenile courts. until now twenty
States are SO provided. This move
uent is altogether in lin" with the
tendency ot the century toward child
hettermcnt.
What are the methods in use for
the rescue OF juvenile Offenders?
Suppose 4 case. \ boy under six
teen is arrested for some Offense,
trivial or criminal lie is not sent to
JAIL but is sent to await trial in a
House OF Detention Here he has
regular hour, oi study, play and work
md learns perhaps his FIRST lesson in
: part oi til programme.
In the mrantimv the probation oil
tcer gets nhcr valuable work. We
lay hers ipr this officer j. usually a
woman. whn,' love irr children and
jtmnia' t1.t, fits her ipr the work
Her duties a." many AVID varied At
the time uf arrest ne earns with
what of,cn,c the child /, charged
and she the" proceeds to investigate
into his hou. life, and the influence
which have surrounded him there and
at school or church Sh" tries TO cS-
tabISh friendly relation, with his rar-
ents or guardians.
When the t2y al hrar',o ,cinrc the
Court arrive, the boy is taken to a
ROOM where thc law inrhiIS the hear
ing 81 adult ease, =, the >ar... ,imc
There is = special Judge irr i,tvon;le
cases. a man selected with A view to
efficiency of heart head and hand for
the work ia question He must be a
man who knows and can svmnathize
with children, and who understands
how TO disnnse OF them 70 secure
their future welfare One srch JUDGE
whose fame is widespread in America,
is Judge BENJAMIN B. Lindsey, of
Denver, Col. He i type of what
the juvenile court iudge should be; a
man Of discernment. of broad svmpa-
thics, of quick Derception. Of h;ph
principle and of noble character, In
his dealings with juvenile offenders
he has not only displavcd these ouaIi-
ties. bit has shown bv the exercise
Of them what great good can be oc-
complished
Hundreds have been helped by this
man. With each who comes before
him the Judge deals in such a wav
that the austcritv of the court is for
gotten by the boy or girl. who is