The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-06
DR. JOHN u. DEAvER,
OF hiladelphla.
DIR. w. w. KEEN,
OF philadelphia.

leave our prisons more vicious than
when they entered.
While our priests generally have ac-
cess to the penitentiaries under proper
restrictions, 1t is impossible for priest
tc establish friendly relations with a
prisoner who may have committed but
a single hasty act, and be far more
innocent than many vicously disposed
free people. The opportunity to the st.
|Ninccntian lies in such work as Will
encourage the felon to lead better
life after the period OF his incarcera-
tion when he may be taught to respect
the rights Of others and become law
abiding citizen
Juvenile Offender.
A valuable paper on THE Juvenile
Offender" was presented by Mr.. Patrick
Mallen. OF Brooklyn. who is the agent
OF the st. Vincent de Paul Society in
the Children's Court in Brooklyn. Mr..
Mallen said that, owing to the large
allen population from Southern Eu-
rope, fully so per cent. OF the children
coming before the Juvenile courts Of
his city were Catholic. In reaching
the causes of these delinouencies. Mr..
Mallen enumerated some OF the results
brought about by economic and social
conditions in the poorer quarters OF
great cities.
Among these. attention was called
to the alien child whose parents do
not speak English and who therefore
cannot enter Into the new life of the
child. into his studies. or his temp
tations in city unlike that in which
they were reared. THE theatre habit,
both In the performance and the bill
boards. is constant temptation not
only to vice. but to the their of the
price Of ticket of admission" said
Mr.. Mallen.
"In New York we have to depend
on private societies for the enforce
nient of children's laws. Much can be
done by the societies to foster public
opinion for the enforcement OF laws
for the protection of children
Step in Advance.
In discussing the juvenile offender.
the establishment of the children's
courts was held to be an enormous
step in advance "The Judges them
selves are the first to admit that with
out proper probation officers. their
powers are almost useless. In Brook
Ign the law directs where children are
turned over 10 private institutions.
preference should be given to the same
religious faith as the family of the
child. Since the opening Of the chill
children have been paroled in the care
of Catholic probation officers, OF whom
over two-thirds have conducted them
selves satisfactorily"
My study of the Juvenile Court and
OF juvenile offenses has shown the alb
solute necessity for providing religious
instruction for the voting. Without
moral principles as a foundation we
cannot even have civic virtue. The
increase in juvenile delinquency is due
to the failure of religious instruction
In secular or public schools. and of
children who have not continued their
religious instruction past ten or
twelve years, Many children who have
for their first communion, as for an
examination, and as soon as that is
obtained their religious studies stop.
No civic or philanthropic association
could be expected to teach Catholic
children their catechism. Where there
| is a Catholic school all Catholic chill
dren should attend it. even II the Vim
centians of the parish have to pay
both fees and for books. as is often
done by the State in the public schools.
No child should be deprived OF a Cath
| oIlC cuuCdtIOu. WIlcie luG1es - EIIo
school. some Vincentian should give
religious instruction to the poor chill
dren of the neighborhood."
Mr.. John Rea, of Philadelphia, adj
dressed the conference on the char
acter of relief and the method of dis
tribution to dependent families, giving
many practical and helpful suggcs-
lions, among others the opening OF a
storehouse or grocery for distributing
| necessities to the poor, rather than
| issuing an order on a grocer, which