The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-10-18
JUVENILE COURT
UP TO GOVERNOR

W. r. Castle. James Rath and Per-
ley L. Horne were taken to the Police
Station yesterday afternoon by Sheriff
Iaukea. There was no charge against
them, their presence being due tc the
fact that they had been delegated as
a committee of the Civic Federation
to look into conditions at the receiv-
ing station to see II something could
not be done to segregate the Juvenile
offenders awaiting trial from the. old
er ard presumably more hardened Of
tenders.
Some letters had passed between the
Sheriff and the Federation In relation
to the matter. The letter of the Com-
mittee on Education, Charity and Pub
lie Health was:
Honolulu. T. H., October 9, 1907.
Hon. Curtis p. Iaukea, Sheriff County
of Oahu.
Dear Sir: The Committee on Educa-
ton, Charities and Public Health of
the Civic Federation has had its at
tention called to a matter in your de-
partment. which it is believed a sug-
gestion, only to call your attention to
it. will result in immediate improve
ment of the condition If 1t is possible.
The matter referred to is that per-
tanning to the detention of young boys
and young people generally, who are
held for examination or trial on what
are often trivial offenses. This deten-
ton, the committee is given to under
stand, is in common with older per-
sons, many of whom are often crimi-
mails of long neutrality-suspicious. whose
influence upon the young people must
be pernicious in the extreme. We
therefore respectfully call your atten-
ton to this matter, and if you find
that conditions are as we have been
led to believe, beg that something be
done to ameliorate them.
We feel the greater confidence in
bringing this matter to your attention
from the fact that on past occasions.
when we have brought matters before
you, you have given them prompt and
courteous attention.
Thanking you in advance, I remain.
Very sincerely ours.
W. r. CASTLE.
Subcommittee on E. C. & P. II.
This the Sheriff answered as fol-
lows:
October 10, 1907.
W. R. Castle, Subcommittee on E.
c. & P. H, Honolulu.
Dear Sir: 1 have received your favor
of the 9th inst, and am glad that
you have brought up a question which
has often proved a disquieting one to
the police authorities when dealing
with juvenile offenders.
There is no doubt that the detention
of young boys and young people gener-
ally, in common with old and hardened
criminals is a pernicious one, and
should be remedied or ameliorated in
some way. This has been done in many
cases where the young offenders are
allowed to go on their recogniZance
pending trial.
The difficulty has been in the lack
of separate accommodations for the
uClCAllOu VI SuSl shall Dt
glad, however. to confer with you
further in the matter, and write the
committee to make a personal inspec-
ton of the police station with a view of
acquainting yourselves fully with the
difficulties we have to contend with.
Sincerely ours,
C. P. IAUKEA,
Sheriff, County of Oahu.
The committee looked over the po-
lice station premises thoroughly and
their expressed opinion was that Moth
ing could be done to keep separate the
juvenile and older offenders in the
present circumstances. 1t was sug-
gested, however, that Honolulu Hale
could be made a place of detention
as we'll as the place for trial for those
who have to come before the Juvenile
Court, and the committee, accompa-
MED by the Sheriff, will call on the
Governor within a few days to urge
that this be done.
1t was explained by the Sheriff yes
terday that in as many cases as pos
sible Juvenile offenders are released
after their arrest on their own recog-
nizances and turned over to their
parents to be produced in court the
next day, but in many cases such a
is not possible.
The number of juvenile cases before
the District Magistrate is increasing.
to the report of Judge
there were one hundred and
ten cases during 1906. So far this year
there have been more than this on the
Police Court calendar, up to date the
number having been one hundred and
Judge Andrade announces that he is
willing TO change the hour of his
court for hearing Of juvenile cases, but
this will not alter the fact that the
Juveniles are allowed to commingle with
the other prisoners in the court yard,
where the greatest damage can be
done to them.
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