The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-19
Idlcncss nIonc is without hope;
work earnestly mt anything. You
will by degrees lenrn to work ut
almost all things. There Is endless
hope in work.
CHILDREN AND CRIME.

Over half of the criminal inmates
OF prisons and institutions are from
the youth of the nation, landed there.
for the most part, through want of
proper attention during the impress
uionable years of childhood. From one
dfth to one-fourth of all arrests in
cities (excluding common DRINKS and
disorderlies) are among boys under
seventeen years of age. We take these
facts from pamphlet published by
the Juvenile Improvement Association
of Denver. They are appalling facts.
1t is because of them, largely. that
the movement for juvenile courts Is
gathering Roadway in many cities all
over the country. The juvenile court
Is winning its way on it's merits. 1t
has shown its strength as proven
tive Of conditions which turn children
into criminals. and every. one knows
that 1t is far better to prevent crime
than 10 punish 1t, and infinitely sounder
from the standpoint of economics.
CnllQTeN are nOl UTouS III up WILL
said President Roosevelt TO Colorado
audience. they are not merely a
curse to themselves and their parents,
but they mean the ruin of the state"
1t was in Colorado that the state
first took prominent part in the
npbringing OF the young upon whom
Its future rests, in Denver and in the
court of Judge Ben Lindsey. 1t paid,
handsomely. In three years, the cost
of detecting and convictns criminals
in Denver was 100000. In three
years, under the juvenile court system,
the saving to tbe-peonle in actual hard
cash was over s2SGoo6. The saving of
pain and misery, the gain in social
and economic health, cannot be esti-
that court give as the necessary parts
of good juvenile law:
"A law holding parents and others
responsible for delinquency and Deepen
dency of children. as such laws now
exist in Colorado; a wise child-labor
law; a good compulsory school law; a
detention school in cities in place OF
the jail; the enforcement Of all laws
relating to children in one court, before
one Judge, and a corps of paid and
efficient workers who are sincere anG
earnest in their work"
The workers referred to are the pro-
baton officers who exercise genera
supervision over children who have
come before the court. in the chill
drens own homes. The court thus ha!
double aim: at character bulding II
dealing with the child, and az home
building in dealing with the parent
The whole spirit and purpose OF
the law says the published pamphlet
rs to help and assist the child il
the home. whore 1t needs assistance
and to compel the parents 10 perform
their duty where they are neglectin;
their child" This latter is stron;
feature of the Colorado law-"ho!dnl
parents and others responsible fol
the delinquency and dependency o
children A parent is compelled, un
der the law. to guard his child fror
evil Influences. Thus. IL q child mere
ly enters or visits certain places, n
matter how innocent its motive ma
be. any person who directed the chill
to &C TO such place, as on an er
rand or to deliver message, Is hel
as contributing to its delinquency, ar
is liable to punishment.
I
8 Because the juvenile court acts NJ
n merely upon the delinquent child. b,
also upon those who permit or Ell
Il courage such delinquency 1t attain
ends and accomplishes results Who'll
out of the reach of.the ordinary cour
II saves children who would othe
wise not be saved. This is no theori
Ing. IT has done this, effectively a,
beyond any sainsaying, for the chtldr
Of Denver. and 1t stands ready to
Ms much for the children of Ric,
Uond.
The Colorado Law may nat be We
edspted in all respects TO yirgini