The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-18
PROBLEM OF CRIME ONE OF CHILDHOOD Says Judge ROsalsky of the
 New York Bench WANTS PROTECTION Says Forty Per Cent of City's Grim inals Are Under Twenty Years
 Old - Poverty Leads
 Few Wrong
WANTS PROTECTION

From the New York Times.
 Declaring that nearly 40 per cent of crimes in this city are committed by of lenders under 20 years old, Judge Otto A. Rosalsly of General Sessions believes that the problem of the criminal comes close to being the problem of the child.
 It is on the basis that once a child en- ters an institution the prospect of recla- nation is darkened. that Judge Rosalsky argues both for the greater protection of the youth and for the upholding of the probation system.
 Speaking recently in Temple Beth Sho- lom in Brooklyn Judge Rosalsky said
 ''The percentage of those who commit crime because of want and Restitution can be put down to one-eight of per cent. You will find many who commit crime because they want to live beyond their means, and when they steal you will find that instead of the money going to the support of the wife and children il goes to evil living and gambling.
 "Dr. Travis, the American authority, found 95 per cent of youthful wrong doers to be normal mentally. I agree with pr Travis. In dealing with the subject of the improvement of the wrong doer we must take the child in his ealy years-n his formative age. As the pot fer fashions the clay, so can we mold the child.
 'eThe tenements are missionaries for our penal institutions. From stealing an ap- pie, the child will steal a pocketbook; and the child will then be brought to court, admonished by the judge, put on probat ,n
 "The foreigners contribution to crime Is far less than that of the native born: Tn the year 1910 1899 were convicted of felonies who were born in the United States and only HOO who were born outside of the United States
 Less than per cent of those who are placed on probation come back to our courts, while from the reformatorles D per cent, and from state prisons from 10 to 45 per cent become second ohend- CTS"
 Few of the judges feel that the prison really solves the question. With each case that comes before them they are baffled anew by the question of what IS best to do, best for the man. his family and for society.
 Judge Rosasky is one Of those who be- lieves that the prisoners labor should have it's wage On this point he says:
 
 stantly urged the state of New York to compensate the criminal while under con fnenent. If the state would compensate the criminal you would find very few committing crime for the purpose of being committed to jail.
 "G do not mean that the state should pay S2 q day. l mean that the state should make some compensation, say, 7i
 of cbn kept for the criminal. so that upon his release from prison he shall have a com fortab1e sum.
 T am glad 10 see that bill has been introduced in New Jersey for the pur- pose of compensating the prisoner for his labor while under confinement. ] believe New York should follow in that direction. We have tried severity as a means of reformation, but without success.
 ''We should endeavor to treat the crim- inal as we treat the sick. to cure him of his criminal tendencies"
 For a comparison between the punish ment that meets the criminal today and the severity of 200 years ago, Judge Ras- alsky points to the records of the general sessions
 Tn the case of Dom Regina vs Clause, a negro slave of Allano Jarrett, found guilty of murder. it was decreed that he be DfOke upon tile Wneel ana so to cOllllue languishing until he be dead and his head and quarters to Be at the Queens dis posal'
 Another negro found guilty of murder. was senenced to be hung up in chains alive, and so continue without any sus- tainance until he be dead
 Tn April. TIP, Tom. negro slave, was sentenced to be burned with a slow fire, that he may continue in torment for eight or ten hours, and continue burning in the said fire until he be dead and consumed to ashes :"