New-York tribune., 1909-04-03
CRlTICISES s. ?. c. c.
Homer Folks Says 1t Stands IN
WaY Of Probation System.

HOMER Folks VINO rectured at the Colony 'luo
Yesterday on The Probation Method and the re
formatory in Dealing with Iouthfu criminals,
said that the Society for the Prevention OF cruelty
70 children kept New York from using the prooa-
ton system ,,
This society is always opposed to ANYTHING
new" he said. 1t hates an innovation II d'esi'
do ANYTHING effective itself and it stands IN the
1.s,, of anvbodv else doing anything Some days 1t
Kinks I, is probation officer itself and then again
il thinks it isn't
Chicago Mr.. Folks said, had sixty PROBATION ON
GERS attached to its chdren's court. ali of lheh
working hard while Brooklyn had only three ana
Manhattan none A childrens court ne ula not
think Of SO much value unless 1t had saLaTled pro
batio, officers 'Children's court Is taxing
title" he said ITS alliterative and SOUNDS vel
and when one was established in Chicago other
ci,ias soon copied. But it's screamingly funny 10
80 ~. eeriousIy some of the chidren's court
indpes take themselves They deliver long ethical
lectures to the children. the effect Of which doesh
last bevond the doors. ! remember one juuse
who made a great reputation IN that way ne
scarcely ever committed child Offender out ms
lectures to him or her morality were quite
noted.
We need corps of salaried probation officers
10 follow the children into their homes To- Keep al,
eve on them. TO carry that element oi per S"I'd.
interest into their homes. Anybody wh" mas '"iS "
money and wants to do great deal Of good can't
do better than Mt out the New York eAiIoI e"
court with salared probation officers.
Mr. Folks told story to illustrate the advantage
~ the p}acing out system, wisely done.
The other day a young man called On me- NJ
said "a nne open faced. Ikahle man lie Is ''e
minister OF large church in one Of our suburban
towns His face vaguely familiar Z" me, d"
arst couldn't place him. then l remembered
had last seen him behind the bars in Phan'P''lA
iau convicted Of larceny He was "a boy fui l"''
,aan tben and the leader of a gang who bI"Ne
into Easements and stole lead pipe. lie naG III"
father
The Judge instead OF sending him 10 q" !"
stiturton consented To have him placed In fanny
He was boarded with village squire-a me 70"
sible man. no one In the village except the squire
l.nsu. ANYTHING about him was allowed 70 S"S
nee, that there was any occasion for treating ''''
otherwise than just a boy. No" he Is illi'is
ter with every prospect of a useful career Anu
the chances are TWO that II that boy n'n
been shut M in a place like the House of Retuse
with hundreds Of boys. many worse than ne ne
would have turned out a criminal or a ioafeT-
1T ts the personal touch that saves. LOOKING
hack on our ouno childhood, We know it was the
family rfe that shaped Criminals are human
beings The traditional attitude toward them Is
ton severe InStinctively want to protect our
selves against ther7-even the youthful oneS-ny
shutting them up But slowly We are learning
the value Of the probation system with chalareh'
IN nearly every city but New York its value has
been demonstrated and In time we shall get To
regard II not as a punishment. scarcely as retor"-
atorv hut as an educa tonal measure pure ana