The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-04-15
Juvenile delinquency

Juvenile Delinquency.
Judge Ben Lindsey, OF Denver
probably our most notable exponen
Iof the new method sof dealing witt
Juvenile delinquency. points OUT IL
a,gecent lecture the immensely of thu
problem presented by the Dreakinf
llp. through various. influences, O
home life. says the Washington Her
aid. AT least 100000 In this
country are forced to OCCUPY the
Idouhle role OF mothers and bread
winners. Over 100000 mothers en-.
ter this role every year, bringing
with them children who are forced
to aid in. the family earnings or who
are. compelled to stay In abodes
lacking for the better part OF the
day a mothers presence. Under
these conditions the protection OF
children and the supervision OF the
/ influences under which they live be-
icome more and more a care OF the
community. Thousands of children
are brought before the Juvenile and
other courts on various counts of de-
linquency. Many of these children
lare the victims OF environment, some
are affected lby physical defects, and
"a few of the mare hopelessly beyond
redemption. The purpose Of mod
ern treatment is to save them, Il
possible. so that they may become
self-supporting members OF society.
and not dependents or beasts of
prey. t
AS late as the year 1882. Judge
Lindsey tells us, English boys under
IA were sentenced to death for petit
larceny, though their sentence was
committed to life Imprisonment in
difference to the growing sentiment
against extreme penalties. Nova
days boys of that age guilty Of petty
crimes are not regarded as crimi-
nails. but as delinquents, and are sent
to reformatories; or II the case be
one which can he so dealt with, the
delinquent is put on probation. "A
advance in Jurisprudence
Is indicated ny these extremes, yet
1t appears to he justified by results.
The Jail, as everybody knows. Is our
most prolific school OF crime. To
send thousands OF children annually
to Jail would be in itself a crime,
according to the modern way of
Instead of committing
that crime against youth, We now
seek to avoid placing upon the
child's brow the stigma Of crtmi,
nal record. and to direct his energies
into wholesome channels. An at
tempt Is made to cure the defects
Of his home training and in deten-
lion schools to give him the disci-
pine his parents failed to supply.
Judge Lindsey says the detention
school in Denver costs $4,000 a
year. and the jail $4,000. Under
The old system" he tells us. "the
Jail was the state school for crime;
the detention school. on the con-
trary. is the state school for good
Judge Lindsey is of the opinion
that the new system pays. It is not
only cheaper in cost than the old,
but 1t saves as a social asset what
might otherwise lbe lost in human
degradation and criminal activity.
Prevention OF crime is cheaper than
Its promotion and punishment. Jail
and reform schools are necessary. in
Judge ;Lindsey's opinion, but not so
much as so many people think.
Whatever can hc done to save chill
dren from travelling the path OF de-
strnction by so much lessons the
need of institutional methods of
dealing with delinquency. Probably
there is no more useful and hopeful
extension OF state function than that
which seeks to dry up the sources
and check the beginnings of crime,
instead of waiting until the criminal
is trained and completed and then
visiting him with the vengeance OF
an outraged Justice.
Literary Men and Public Affairs.
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