Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1909-05-20
PROBATE COURT IS
| JUVENILE COURT
ACCORDING TO A LAW PASSED
BY THE LATE LEGlSLA-
TURE.


passed at the recent session Of the
legislature was that extending the
operation Of the Juvenile Court to all
the counties of the state.
The matter was urged upon the
notice of the legislature by joint
committee Of the State Conference of
Charities and Correction and the State
Educational Association This COM
mittee in presenting the need showed
that boy in say, Austin, who does
the same wrongful act as boy in one
of the three large cities, is branded as
a criminal and tried with other
criminals, while the boy in the large
city is brought to the Juvenile Court
by his parents and the matter is ad-
just in a manner to safeguard tne
state and save the boy.
Under the new law the PROBATE
Court is to have jurisdiction in all
cases in which the welfare OF chill
dren is involved. AS is generally
known, where the question relates to
dependent or neglected children, the
matter is disposed of in the Probate
Court at present. This practice Will
continue under the new law, but the
proceedings will be simpllfled ana
strengthened. 1t will not be neces-
sary for County Commissioners ottlcl-
ally to certify cases Of this kind to the
Probate Judge. Any reputable citizen
nay file the Ietirion. In most things
the practice will De similar to tnat
pow followed by the Juvenile Court in
the three large counties.
The chief change will have refer
ence to children who are charged with
violation of some law. Under the new
statute these cases will come before
the Probate Court also. II boy Is
believed to have committed, say,
larceny, the procedure will be to file
petition in the Probate Court alleging
that ne is in need of proper guardian
ship. The boy and his parents will De
arrest, if it is possible to avoid such.
Some kind, firm, friend who will un-
dertake to help this boy, to be called
q probation officer, is called into the
case. The difficulty is canVassed
thoroughly and with the utmost in
formality by the court, the probation
tc md
court will lay such emphasis upon the
mistakes Of both the parents and the
boy as may seem fitting, and will
probably continue the case, placing
both parents and boy in charge of the
probation officer, and allowing them
to return home. The probation officer,
by association and suggestion, will
endeavor to improve the home life OF
the family and will consult with the
court from time to time as to pro-
gress. If when the case comes on for
hearing again satisfactory improve
ment has been made discharge may
be ordered If no improvement can
be reported, the court may, after prob
ably two or three such trials, remove
the boy from the home and place him
in some other family home, or place
him in some institution certified to
the Board of Control to be qualified to
give the boy the attention he needs,
or perhaps commit him to the State
Training School. In any event there
is nothing savoring of criminal trial.
The vengeance idea is eliminated. By
these means in places having the
Juvenile Court, many bad boys have
been reformed and their parents have
acquired the capacity much better to
bring up the other children. The law
contains provisions to meet various
difficulties that may arise in it's en-
forcement. 1t repeals no law now in
force. 1t only opens up better way.
The act goes into effect June 1st.