The Washington times., 1910-10-03
ASK FOR EXPERTS
TO TRY JUVENILES
Prison Congress Would
Radically Alter Conduct
of Courts.
OCCOQUAN COLONY
RECEIVES PRAISE
Leading Penologist Declares Dis
trict Has Proper System
of Punishment.

Following four separate section
meetings Of the International Prison
congress in various rooms at the
Bureau of American Republics. re-
ports OF vital Importance to admin
istration Of prisons, conduct of ju-
Venile courts. the indeterminate SEN
tence and methods of rehabilitating
convicted persons, especially habituas
drunkards and users of drugs. were
this afternoon made TO tie congress
In general session.
Radical changes were suggested In
the conduct CT juvenile court cases.
The resolutions adopted at the morn
ing session and which this Afternoon
were put up to the general congress
suggested special JuTtts Of experts
In all juvenile trials Of delinquency
cases; the special training Of juvenile
Judges in anthrOpOligy, sociology, and
psychtastry; the exclusion Of the gen.
eral public from trials; indeterminate
sentences in all cases excepting ad-
ults, and appointment Of medical Of
hcers for each court who has made
study of the special conditions which
arise in juvenile cases
To Reform Children.
1t was pointed out by Judge Wilkins,
of the Children's Court of Massachu-
sets, that Juvenile criminals should not
be subjected to the penal procedure
applicable TO adults, since II the child
is to be reformed the trial should be
made as informal as possible. It was
also pointed out that there should be
a change in the power Of judges 10th
TO take away parental power and ap-
point guardians, the power to be given
to jury Of experts.
Resolutions urging the elimination Of
small prisons; concentration in central
and larger institutions, as far as prac-
ucable; denunciation Of contract con-
Wet labor. and better trained officials
for prisons and penitentiaries were
among the important points made TO the
general session by the section. which
dealt with prison administration. The
Importance in elimination of smaller
prisons and Capitalization in larger
ones, il was permitted OF more beneficial
working organizations and the teaching
OF trades to lOng-term prisoners, esDe-
clally- Charles R. Henderson, president
or the international congress, eTlpha-
sized the Importance OF Capitalization OF
prisoners in large institutions.
The smaller institutions-there are
ITO OF them in my State-in many Il
stances, mere medieavel dungeons, and
they should CO. Il has become axiom
attic that agricultural colonies for pris-
oners, such as Is now being established
at OccOquan, Va, by the District OF
Columbia. are the best means OF pro-
viding real reformatories OF the pris-
oner"
Treating DIunkards
Declaring that If all drunkarls were
given long terms instead of short ones.
and they were placed in agricultural
colonies instead OF Jails and warehouses,
they would be rehabilitated as humanity
demands" Department Commissioner
Edwin Mulready, OF Boston, moved for
the adoption, with minor changes, the
resolutions submitted by DR.. +. Emory
Lyon, OF Chicago, who reported for the
committee on methods Of reha bilitating.
In the resolutions was urged strongly
the payment Of prisoners for work done,
so that they would not be destitute upon
release, and so dependent ones NAV not
suffer while the prisoner Is confined.
II was in Sectioni on the indeterrnt-
nate sentence and its practicability that
there was so much difference of opinion
among delegates OF different nations.
The resolution finally adopted and sub
mitted this afternoon to the general
congress urged changes in the 'inde-
terminate law that greatly modify II.
The difference between the lndeternlt-
nate sentence and parole was empha-
sized and IL was suggested that in all
cases where sentences are tndeterninate
the Judge should fix a date, after which
n prisoner could be set free and tho
minimum length Of time he should
serve IL the prisoners behavior were
such that he be not accorded the bene-
fts OF the indeterminate sentence.