Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-09-25
Prof. Geo. Christensen Lectures
On the Scope and Purpose
Of Utah Statute.
TO REFORM MISGUIDED YOUTH
Mount Pleasant Commercial Club Dis
cusscs Law and Spends Evening in
4 Dutch Lunch and smoker"
specIaI corresrondence.

Special Correspondence.
Mt Pleasant Sept. 2i-The Mt
Pleasant Commercial club held an uu-
usually interesting meeting last night
An excellent program was rendered
after which all enjoyed themselves in "a
Dutch lunch" and smoker.
The principal feature OF the program
was a lecture ON the juvenile court law
Of the state of Utah by chief probation
officer Of Sanpete county. Prof Geo.
Christensen, formerly Of Mt plcasaut.
but who now resides iu Ephraim. The
club has previously discussed the law
and 20 get the informa ton desired from
the right source. invited Mr. Christeu-
sen 10 speak before the club on tins SUBJ
1eCt. He responded choerfully SAYING
30 was his first official invitation 10
speak on the subject and was glad that
II came from his home town. a synop-
sis Of his talk follows:
The methods used in dealing with
youthful offenders prior ID the iuaugu-
ration Of the juvenile court system of
fines imprisonment etc. had the OPP
Dosite effect To what was desired Iu-
stead OF reforming them 10 threw them
among a class OF people unit for them
to associate with. Children of today. he
said. need help. and instead OF Cou-
sidcring them as criminals. they should
be handled as misguided youths and
outside Of the criminal courts All
cases eXcept felony are 90 be handled
iu the juvenile court Tho taking of
youthful offenders before the criminal
courts bad a demOraliZing effect
Mr. Christensen gave the origin Of
the juvenile court system en- Utah as
follows. The state Legislature I'm 1905
first introduced The matter The att
tempt was indefinite and as conso-
quenCc mistakes were made and fall
ure resulted. The legislature OF 1907
corrected the errors OF former laws.
Under these laws il Is made
a mislemeluor for parents or guar
dians 10 contribute 20 the delinquency
Of a child. This is the first instance
where tho moral training is imposed
upon parents or guardians.
Mr.. Christensen explained that the
law provides for juvenile courts Go
cities of the FIRST and second class
and I'm judicial districts. where uo city
Of first or second class appear "a
juvenile department Is formed ass part
of the district court. The judges Of
the judicial districts appoint proba-
ton officers one for each county, iu
the district The jurisdiction OF th"
courts extend 10 all cases except felony.
up to the age Of IS.
Prof Christensen deemed prevention
better than cure and he has tried to
create q sentiment for good among par
cuts. teachers and religious bodies. in
order 20 make H. popular 20 do right
and unpopular 10 do wrong. That 20 is
not a good idea TO see merely the good
and cxton that in the youth. but evil
should be noted and an attempt made
TO correct Il IN leading them 20 better
lives. He said the greatest danger for
the young is after they have finished
tho public school and do not continue
their school work further, but get the
notion that they are men and women.
with nothing to do. He encouraged the
idea Of keeping children busy at least
until the ages Of rs and ~. which is
considered the most critical period. and
then the vigilance should not entirely
be discontinued. but useful activity
should be constantly eujoined. To keep
the children near them and keep the
confidence and good viii ~ the chill
dren parents should mlnglo with them
more, and associate with them more On
their games and amusemcnts. The
speaker referred 90 and explained the
curfew law. also the law forbidding the
sale Of liquor 20 minors and the keep
ing Of them out of saloons. The use
of tobacco. and the carrying OF fire.
arms by children under age were mem
toned a lively discussion followed
The professors remarks.