The Springfield herald., 1909-01-22
LINDSEY SEEKS
JUVENILE LAWS
WOULD REMOVE ALL CHILDREN'S
CASES FROM CRIMINAL
COURTS.
DISCIPLINE OFFICERS
PARENTS OR GUARDIANS TO BE
HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR
DELiNoUENTS.

Denver.-Judge Ben B. Lindsey. Of
the Denver Juvenile Court. together
with senators and representatives in
sympathy with his views, is urging
number of important measures. First
of all he is advocating the removal of
children's cases entirely from the
criminal courts and placing all juve-
nile cases, except those relating to
probate matters, under the chancery
division of the Juvenile Court.
Instead of swearing out criminal
complaint against child or parent,
as is often done now. a petition to the
Judge of the Juvenile or County Court
where there Is no Juvenile Court will
be sufficient And in the case of
delinquent or dependent child. the par
ent or guardian must prove that he or
she is not responsible for such con-
dition, the burden of proof being ta-
ken from the state.
Another act concerning the chancery
powers of the courts in case of the
dependency or delinquency of children,
provides for carrying out an idea,
originated by Judge Lindsey, to pre-
vent great expense to the county or
parents in counties where there are
no juvenile courts. 1t is being brought
up in several eastern legislatures this
season.
1t is especially intended for rural
districts. The County Court, If there
is no Juvenile Court in the county.
may appoint at its discretion one or
more discreet persons of good moral
aF..t..a.
in chancery for each city. town or JUS
tice of the peace precinct within its
borders. These officers will be
called Masters of Discipline" and
may qualify by taking the same oath
as n clerk of a court. giving a $4,000
bond. 1t shall be their duty to re-
ceive and hear petitions or complaints
setting forth the dependency or delin-
quency of any child. or the contribu-
tory dependency or delinquency of any
person within the chancery jurisdic-
diction of the court. Such master
may make recommendations for the
care, custody. discipline. aid or dispo-
sition of eay child, or in case of con-
tributory delinquency or dependency,
the disposition of the child, and their
recommendation will be entered as the
order of the court.
They shall have the power to issue
notices, summons. capias or similar
processes, and such notice shall be re-
turnable with like force and effect as
when made by the court. 1t will not
be necessary to bring the children or
parents many miles for trial under this
provision. Allowances may be made
to the master of chancery for hear
ing cases in certain instances, provid-
ing they do not aggregate over 5000
year. In counties over 100000 in
population the officers shall receive
nothing.
A third bill raises the ages of boys
and girls in delinquency cases from
sixteen to seventeen years for boys
and eighteen years for girls. The bill
then repeats the delinquency act.
Another bill provides that no girl
under the age of eighteen years shall
be allowed to attend ball or dance
in building where there is saloon,
or frequent any wineroom or saloon.
unless accompanied by her father or
mother The same applies if an ad-
jacent building to that where the
dance is in progress contains a saloon
or wineroom.
Section 8 of IAN act concerning de-
linquent children" is amended in a
fifth bill to allow any reputable per-
son to file a petition before a county
or juvenile court, setting forth the
facts of the child's delinquency He
shall give his oath to its truth.