The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-05-19
THE WORK OF THE JUVENILE
COURT
Continued from page u

children, that for some reason they
have been led astray. So the juvenile
courts have been established. They
seek for the source of the crime. II
the children have erred because they
have no home, or lack food, shelter
and clothes they are sent to the In
dustrial school. If, however, it is
possible for them to be corrected at
home they are placed on probation;
that is, they are told that If they
commit any further crime they will
be punished. This teaches them obed-
fence to the law. They realize that
it is for their own good to obey ra-
Their than break the law and then
evade being caught. The criminal
law demands obedience through bru-
tally and vengeance, while the juv-
emile law takes an interest in its
subjects; it teaches the offender to do
the right thing because it is right.
Obedience, especially in children,
comes through respect and love. If
the children know that the kind
judge expects them to be good, they
will have respect for the law and take
pride in keeping out of trouble. This
method will accomplish far more in
the way of lessening crime than will
disagracing them with a Jail sentence.
1t is far better to get children of
the streets into some training school
and teach them a trade, than to leave
them running loose, learning all they
can of crime and thus raising crop
for the penitentiary. IT they are kept
busy, they will have no time to get
into trouble. In Denver during one
summer, while there was no school,
$50 boys who were loafing ON the
streets were sent to work in the sugar
beet fields under the charge of pro-
baton officer and over three-fourths
of them made good. Truancy and i'd
leness are the chief causes of juvenile
offences; hence, if the children are
kept in school or at some interesting
or useful work there will be less
crime. If they can be cared for they
will develop into useful citizens; if
left to themselves, they will probably
develop into criminals.
The community owes something to
the child. 1t should be law-abiding
and respect the rights of the children.
Now, the boys have a right to play
ball and other games, and if the COM
munity sees that they have a play
ground they will not have to play
ball in the streets or in somebody's
back yard where they may cause
trouble. The children have rights
which are just as important to their
welfare as the rights of adults, and
should be respected just the same. OF
course they are an annoyance, but
they are to be the MEN OF TOMOR-
ROW, and should have every advant-
age possible to become useful citizens.
Give them Fairgrounds, the gymna-
SUM and trade school, anything 20
produce manlincss of character.
The child labor law is something
which has recently been enacted, but
not yet enforced to great extent.
The child labor law is all right, but
worthless if not enforced. The juv-
emile court is in a position to have
the provisions of the law carried out.
If the children are abused or not
treated right where they are employ
ed, the court can deal with their en-
ployers. Thus we see, that not only
does the court correct the morals of
the children, but also protects them
in fatherly way. For the first time
in history little love has been added
to the law. The idea of the juvenile
court is not the Mosaic law of an eye
for an eye and tooth for tooth,
but the law of Christ will prevail and
overcome evil with good.
The greatest resource of our nation
is not in the mines, not in the soil,
not in commerce, not in money
wealth of any kind, nor in the i'm
mense battleships upon which the
nation has spent so much, but it's
greatest resource is the children
themselves. These will shape the ma