Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-25
PREPARES DRAFT OF
NEW JUVENILE BILL
WILL BE SUBMITTED TO STATE
LEGISLATURE
Many Changes Made Whereby JuVen-
lie Court Acquires Greater Juris-
dictlon-Hammon and Mccart-
ney Will Present Measure

Judge Wilbur has prepared the drat'
of the new juvenile court bill, IN pur'
suance of a resolution adopted at g
meeting of the juvenile state officers II
April, 1907, and the bill has been ap-
proved by a committee appointed al
that time to prepare the new law aho
submit it to the legislature.
The bill was completed yesterday
and when Percy Harmon, the re-
elected assemblyman, goes north Mon
day he will carry it in his pocket, ready
to present it in the house at the first
opportunity. Senator MaeCartney VIII
perform a like service in the senate.
The bill is the most comprehensive
that has ever been prepared in any
state 1t will take in the whole of Cali
fornia, and among the changes recon-
mended the following are regarded as
the most important:
The age under which children may be
handled by the juvenile court will be
is instead of 16.
Children arrested for misdemeanors
cannot be tried in a justice court, but
must be sent to the juvenile court,
where the charge will be heard with
out a jury.
With reference to children charged
with felony the law divides the accused
into two classes, those under IA and
those over Ia and below Is years. Chill
dren under IA can only be prosecuted
by a complaint alleging delinquency,
filed in the superior court. If a child
fails to improve in the reformatories
he will be returned to the superior
court, and if found guilty may be sent
to the penitentiary.
Detention Homes
The new law makes the establishment
of a detention home in each county
mandatory upon the board of super
visors. At present the only county
where probation officers are paid from
the county treasury is Los Angeles.
The new bill provides for an increase
of probation officers in this county by
four. At present there are two officers
who have the care of 500 persons in
their hands While the new plan will
increase salaries to a large extent, it Is
said this will be greatly offset by the
saving of money required to maintain
children sent to Preston and Whittier
The new law will prohibit the incar-
ceration of a child under 16 in the
county Jail. The law as at present
fixes the limit at u years.
Placing the Preston and Whittier in
stitutions on the same basis is another
object sought by the new bill. AT pres
ent a child under is can be sent tc
| Whittier; children between 16 and q
go to Preston.
a Cnlld VINO pefSiSleullY ItIuotS u
obey the proper orders of it's parents
or guardian will be classed as a de-
pendent child if the bill becomes a law
and this change will enable a parent
to bring such child into court and allow
it to be placed on probation and be
under the Jurisdiction of the court.
Dependent Children
The new law will also provide that
child without guardian or parents
may be declared dependent. This will
correct the present cases where many
children are without guardians because
of the expense in the proceedings for
the appointment of guardians.
A child who habitually uses intoxi-
cants, cigarettes or drugs will be de-
fined as a dependent child.
1t is also proposed by the drafting
committee that the name of the juve-
nile court will be changed to the
parental court
Another important change in the
laws as they now stand will be asked.
This Is in reference to section 1913 of
the civil code, which provides that a
person cannot give more than one
third of his or her property to charity.
Judge Wilbur says a strong effort will
be made to have this section elm
mated.