The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-07-02
Echoes Of Womans Clubs
RECENT LAWS AFFECTING chill
DREN OF IDAHO

DNLN Ut ADhlO t4G E aaH'
(By Mrs. Fred A. Pittenger OF Boise,
/ shall have to go back to 1905
There was then passed law provid
ing for separate court for children
between the ages of eight and six
teen years.
Children over eight years Of ag'
when violating the law Of the lant
are amendable no longer to the hom'
alone but to the state.
We are coming to regard the grea
majority Of the youthful offenders al
the victims OF environment, the lacl
of opportunity for good, often al
helpless for what and where they arr
as the one Inc the tabled dragons
teeth. Instead Of trying to punish
we try to uplift. That this Is no idle
dream nor weak sentiment, no evi
dence of leniency the result Of the
work of the Juvenile court of Den.
yer as well as those OF other cities viii
fairly show. Nor does 1t presuppose
lack Of flrmness. discipline OF
strength. On the contrary, 1t re.
'quires more firmness and less brutal
fly, more dicipline and less retribu-
ton, more earnest interest and less
Indifference, more strength and less
ignorant authority than ever before.
The most important thing that the
Juvenile law under took to do was
to permit the correction of children
without their being charged and con-
vxicted of what would technically be
a crime. This was done by designina-
ting all offenders under 16 years Of
age as delinquents and permitting
them to be charged as such upon petit
ton to be filed by any citizen.
The Juvenile law of Illinois, 1899,
was the first attempt at unification
or codification of the laws OF that
state relating to dependent and neg
lected children as we'll as delinquent
children into one statute known as
the Juvenile law 1t also centralized
the children's cases into one court
The probation feature of the Ju-
venile court is not new. Probation
is simply a suspension of a sentence
upon conditions imposed by the court
under the system Of supervision after
release. If these conditions are COM
piled with and the offender conducts
properly and by his own eft
fort overcomes the error or evil in
to which he has fallen, he Is relieved
entirely from any penalty. The court
does not tolerate the idea of the child
being a criminal. 1t does not consid-
or the question of punishment the inn
portant thing. If the child cannot be
at home, for its own good
and for the good Of society at large
It is simply sent to the State Indust-
rial school where discipline is super
or to that of the home and where he
may be taught.
Colorado was the first and think
Idaho is the second state where the
Jaw permits us to hold legally ac-
and punish parents and
others for the moral delinquency Of
children.
In 1907 this amendment to the
Juvenile law was passed and provides
hat: Parents or others contributing
o the delinquency of children are
by fine not exceeding
hree hundred dollars or imprison-
nent in the county Jail not exceeding
Tx months, or both.
Another amendment passed that
'ear provides for paid probation of
icers. $50 Paid probation officers to
,e appointed by the Probate Judge
Who also has power to fix their COM
,ensation. Not more than one pro-
'ation officer in counties having a
chool population of five thousand or
lnder, and not more than two in
ounties having school population
exceeding five thousand
The probation officer is also a tru-
mt officer. 1t Is the duty of school
rustees to report to the school super
ntendent all cases Of truancy, delin-
uency, and incorrigibility in their
espective districts, which cases the
uperintendent shall report to the
rotation officer.
Until this winter the Juvenile
curt had jurisdiction over children
rom eight to sixteen years of age.
his winter the club women got an
passed extending the age
) eighteen years at the urgent re-
uest of the officers of the probate
burt.
The Child Labor Law raised such
Juror that probably you remem-
err its history. All that part which
lade 1t easy of enforcement was
soIr A.rt h.vt n ~