The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-06

| the criminal law did not differentiate
between the adult and the minor who
had reached the age of criminal re-
! sponsibility''-seven a, common law in
some states and ten in others, with a
possible chance of escape up to II if
| the child were lacking in mentality
The whole idea of the old method was
/ to punish wrongdoing. The child was
arrested, clapped into Jail. indicted by
a grand jury, tried by a petit jury. and
| if found guilty. sentenced TO prison
with adult offenders from whom les
sons in crime were easily learned, if
| the boy happened to be ready to learn
as most boys are.
| Since the first court was established
in Chicago in 1899 about 50 per cent.
OF the boys put on probation in that
city have not returned to the court.
OF the delinquent girls only 81 per
cent. have not shown up again in court.
pretty plain evidence that the social
agencies of the cities are not filling
the girls wants. But taking the sit
uation as whole the evidence is
strong, not only in Chicago. but in
every city where Juvenile court legis-
Tlation has been introduced, that ne
elected, dependent and delinquent chill
dren are better and more nationally
cared for under the new method.
Just what sort of procedure is it that
the youngster goes through in mod
ern Juvenile court? Take the case Of
a truant, whose hard working mother
has lost hold on her boy who has been
running wild for weeks and finally
is brought to the Juvenile court by a
truant officer. The judge sends the
boy to the "dentention home" where he
is kept until the time for the hearing.
In this home. preferably apart from
the court house or Jail, the boy is put
at some congenial work with opportu
nifty for some recreation. or perhaps
sent to school, if the detention home is
run on the right principles. In Chi
cago's detention home not only are
school facilities provided, but voca-
tional training is also given, all of
which raises the question of the extent
to which vocational training in the
public schools would prevent delin-
quency.
In Chicago the average period of de-
tention is six days, in Cleveland five
days, and less in other cities. In New
York all children taken into custody
within the boroughs Of Manhattan and
Bronx are held in the building of the
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to
Children for periods varying from a
day to several months before they are
brought to the Children's Court. And
this large period of
detention no real effort is made to pro-
vide rational occupation for the leis-
ure time. Pittsburg has the distinction
of holding it's children in the county |
jail, where they are fed on jail fare !
served by TRUSTEES.
In connection with this court the |
clinic or child study department has |
justified itself. Here the boy Or girl
is given medical examination. for |
has shown that juvenile de- |
and physical defect are close
ly related. The examination has been
limited. except in unusual cases, to GER
tain measurements and weight that
may throw light on the condition of
the child. and to the eyes, ears, nose /
throat, teeth and skin.
While the boy is in the detention |
home awaiting a hearing, probation |
officer visits his home, looks up the
history of the lad, his heredity. his |
his associations, how he
came to be truanc and what can be
done to get his started right. And SO
when the boy is brought before the
Judge that official is able to take him |
in charge, not so much to punish as to
reform, not to degrade, but to uplift, |
not to crush, but to develop, to make
him a worthy citizen but not a crimi
nal.
When the English childrens bill was
under debate in the House OF Com
mons, this defense was made by sup
porter of the measure: 1--WE want to
say to the child that if the world or
the worlds law has not been his friend
in the past, it shall be now. We say
that it is the duty of this parliament
and that this parliament is determined
to lift. if possible and rescue him. to
shut the prison door, and to open the
door of hope
At best the work of the Juvenile
Court is palliative. Here. as in all |
modern work for social betterment.
is the vital thing. Judge
Mack. formerly of the Chicago Juve-
nile Court, says that we are not open
ing the door Of hope" to the delinquent
child when I'VE fail not merely to up
root the wrong, but to implant in place
of it the positive good. We must study
the underlying causes of
Juvenile delinquency in order to apply
these preventive and positive meas
ures.''
The Palace Theater for