The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-19
Save the BOYS.

One of the most hopeful signs OF
this age Of educational progress Is the
effort that is making in various cities
to save youthful delinquents' from
the criminal class
According to a writer In the Re-
view cf Keyiews, to whom we are
Indebted for the material out Of which
this article IL made. in 1898 there was
not q Juvenile court in the world; to-
day twenty-five States have some
form of legislation for Juvenile de-
linauents, and thlrty-eig cities have
juvenile courts In various degrees or
perfection; in almost all the other
States bills are pending for the estab-
| iishment Of suck courts.
| The basic J1inciple of these courts
| is that the child offender Is not a
| criminal END must not be treated az
\ n criminal The Illinois law so de-
| elares lie New York law provides
that children under sixteen years of
age shall be treated "lnsde-
meanants." In Colorado youthful
law-brcakers are characterized as
Juvenile disorderly persons"
THE idea of punishment Is elimen-
, ated,, says Judge r. S. Tuthill. of
Chicago. -,"and tho facts are considered
a simply as evidence to show whether
the child is in condition of de-
linquency, so that the State, stand
ing in loco PARENTS, ought to enter
upon the exercise OF parental care
, over him"
That may shock some of the stall
:, wart democrats of Virginia, and yet
that principle is recognized in our
State and statutes. Section 1896 b of
: the Code provides that II minor I'M
!. der the age Of fourteen Is destitute
- or deserted, neglected or III treated
by parent or guardian, or Is exposed
:, to immoral influences. or If parent oil
. guardian Is likely to become a charge
" upon the State or unable to supper
the child, and 1t shall clearly appeal
that such minor is vicious and de
PRAYED, or is destitute, or neglected, o
= deserted, or ill-treated by his paren
" or guardian, or is exposed to viciou
or immoral influences, any court 0
record, or the judge the of sitting j
vacation, may, on the application @
- any reputable citizen OF the county
'"' city or town whc-ein such minor ma
W. reside or on application OF any societ
'o' chartered for benevolent purposes, {
- for the care of destitute childre,
~ commit such minor to the care of sue
W. society, to be kept until such minc
~ shall have arrived at the age of eigl
~ teen in tue case OF females and twent,
81 ono in the case of males,
w" Thus does the State put itself :"
W. loco PARENTS" toward all children cor
We ing under the above classification
uN The Stat does lot interfere so lol
- as the parent or e sardian looks aft
'sN- the moral and materia, welfare of I
child, but when the parent or guard
DUG Is delinquent the State asserts
:" authority.
VIZ We should have a juvenile court
ef"' Richmond, Money could not be b,
unu ter or more economically expend
we than in saving delinquent childr
from life of crime, Denver's cou
under tho guidance of Judge "Be
ID, Lindsey, has done a wonderful we
haln for boys in that city Judge Limbs
,o,,,, boasts that ninety-ive per cent. OF
,.,,, boys are treated successfully with,
~, commitme.-t and that out of Ave
S al s,a''.o ,N'''sI 'o wy poy 'A g
sidereu hopeless case. Opposed
this stands record of ninety per CO
convicted and seyenty-iive per G,
sent to jals or reformatorles under
WYE old criminal system.
WI" In another article we shall h,
'heFS something to say In detail of Ju
+ Lindsey's plan.
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