Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-22

which should not be presented to the court,
still they cannot well be welded out until
they are brought to the court for investi-
CATION. So
The business of the court fA6erived from
two sources-first from the arrests by
the police for offenses against the Dis
trict or the United States, and, secondly,
from the petitions of the board Of chill
dren's guardians to be allowed to care
for children not being properly cared for.
The petitions will average about POO a
year, while the great bulk Of the business
comes from the arrests
When a boy Is arrested for any cause
he may either put up money collateral or
give bond for his appearance in court on
the day set, or be locked up in the house
of detention, to await the time of trial.
In some isolated instances boys are
merely told by officers to come to court,
but such incidents are rare. Every boy or
girl under the age of seventeen years
who is arrested and cannot give collateral
is sent to the house of detention, where
the prison idea in their confinement is
obviated as much possible. without
making escape for them possible. There
they are well fed and given a hot bath.
The conveyance used to bring the
youthful delinquents from the house of
detention to the, Juvenile Court is very
different from the ordinary police patrol
wagon 1t resembles large carry-alL
attention as. it goes through the streets.
One important part of the Juvenile
Court work, although it is done before
the court convenes, is in connection with
the investigation of cases by the proba-
ton officer. After juvenile is taken into
custody the arrest is reported to the pro-
baton officer, with statement OF all the
circumstances. Then the probation officer
visits the home of the youthful offender,
learns the home atmosphere, becomes ia
miliar with the boys history and sur
roundings, and thus is able to recommend
to the judge of the Juvenile Court what
is best for the boy
Just before noon the witnesses in the
Juvenile cases and the officers who made
the arrests begin to arrive at the Police
Court building. There is the hustle Of
getting the informations made out, get
ting the stolen property or other physical
evidence ready for court. and getting the
babies together for disposal. In some
cases defendants are never actually
brought into court. Facts are brought to
the attention of the prosecuting attorney
that the case should not come 10 trlai ana
the charge Is nolle pressed.
In cases of conviction the penalty may be
! a simple personal bond. or the imposition
of q fine, In default of which the Defendant
is committed to probationary period Oh
six months or a year, or the child may De
Committed to the reform school until he Is
twenty-one years old. or committed per-
manently to the board of chfldren's guar
dians, who will send him to some institu-
ton like the Hart farm or the Junior Re
public.
The anniversary of the beginning of the
proba ton work In connection with juveniles
was recently celebrated. 1t had its origin
in the idea that the first experience OF the
boy or girl In wrongdoing would teach him
such lesson that he would not repeat the
ofYense IL shown the error of his ways; ana
that therefore, the boy should not De
branded as q vicious boy at first. It's oD)ects
can best be explained by telling what the
how is compelled to do when he Is put under
probation for a definite period.
After the sentence by the court ne IL
taken at once to the office of the prooation
officer. and his name, characteristics ana
the history of his case is recorded Ihen
he is required to do four thfngs-avoid re-
beating the offense to attend divine service
every Sunday, to either go to work or at
tend school and to report at the ONCE twice
a month, living at home all the time. Inc
probation officer keeps sharp lookout or
the boys and holds them strictly to these
four rules. In reporting to the once the
boy always comes on the first Sunday In
every month and on the 10th of every
month At the Sunday meetings all the
boys are brought together and they are