New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-25
PROBATION EFFECTIVE
State Commissions Report
Shows Growth of System.

Albany April 24-The annual report Of
the State Probation Commission, TO be
transmitted to the Legislature tomorrow.
states that more than eleven thousand ~
tenders were under the care of probation
officers I'm this state last year, more than
nine thousand being placed on probation in
1909. The report shows that an increasing
number Of courts are using the system. and
that the standards Of probation work are
improving. and good results are being oo-
tanned.
The commission recommends among other
things that probation be used more general
ly in rural sections; that greater use be
made of probation as a means Of OblginS
offenders TO make restitution for losses ct
damages caused BY their offence: that chill
dren in Juvenile courts be examined by ply
sicians so far as practicable, to learn
whether their delinquency is due 70 physical
defects which can be remedied, and that
more careful Investigations be made of the
character and history Of defendants befora
being placed on probation.
The system was used in 1903 in the Su-
preme and county courts OF twenty-seven
counties and i'm the inferior courts of TWEEN
ty-four towns and villages and thirty cities.
Paid officers were employed for the first
time last year in the Auburn RecOrde's
court and the Rochester police court. and
in the county courts of Erie, Essex. Mont
gomery. Oswego. Otsego and Warren courr
ties. More than five hundred persons. most
of whom were volunteers, acted as proba
tions officers I'm the state in 1909. There are
now sixty-five probation officers paid under
that title from public funds.
or the 2T95 children under probationary
oversight during the year 2.0e5 were put on
probation 81 1909. The most common Of
fences for which boys were convicted and
placed on probation were larceny and
truancy. and the principal charges against
girls were being disorderly or ungOvern-
able or without proper guardianship.
About three-fourths of the children passing
from probation. according To estimates Of
probation officers. were benefited.
The commission favors. so far as Is prac-
ticable. the hearing of childrens cases In
Juvenile courts by civil procedure instead
Of by criminal procedure Under a law
which became effective this year children
In the Buffalo Children's Court instead OF
beng convicted. are adjudged to be I'm
need of the care and protection OF the
state. This practice spares them the stigma
which attaches To u conviction.
During the last year LII persons-of
whom about 1000 were guilty OF felonies-
We're placed under the care Of probation
officers In the Supreme and county courts
OF twenty-seven Counties Many of these
We're young men never convicted before
The commission Endorses the practice
now used in several courts OF requiring
offenders to make restitution or repara-
ton TO the aggrieved parties for losses or
damages caused by their offence.
The principal duties OF the State Proba-
tiOn Commission are To exercise general
supervision over the work OF probation on
GERS. and To secure the effective applica-
tiOn OF the probation system and the en-
forcement Of the probation law In ali parts
Of the state. AS means to these ends the
commission last year collected monthly re-
ports from probation officers: visited
through its secretary large number OF
the courts using probation; made suKges-
lions and Recommendations ~ probation Of.