The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-09

for the child as well as the community, and
however progressive eitys government ma,
be. It is lacking In a fundamental II II provides
no tribunal for the trial of the recreant boy OF
girl separate and apart from his or her elders.
There has been talk of establishing Juvenile
court in Richmond from time to time, but as yet
IL has not crystallized Tito a definite purpose
The Board Of Police Commissioners is impressed
with the need OF such an institution, and thai
requested the City Attorney to report on the
necessary legislation for its establishment The
Legislature of 1910 passed a bin providing fol-
the trial of youthful offenders in the Offices o.
judges, 1t would seem an enlargement ant
development of this idea is all that is necessary
and no further delay is warranted
Writing on THE Law and the Child" Justice
Julian w, Mack of the Illinois Appellate Court
and former judge Of the Chicago Juvenile court
says:
The child brought INTO court should be
made TO knop that he is face to face loith
the po,oer Of the State, but at the same time
and more emphattcoHy he should be made TO
feel that he is the object of its care aud soil
citude. The ordinary trdpptn0s Of the court
room are out OF place in such hearings The
Judge on a bench, looking do,en upon the boy
standing OF the bar can nerer euoke sym
pathetic spirit. seated at a desk. ,oith the
child OF his side. ,0here on occasion he can
put his around his shoulder and drdp
the lad TO hln,, the jadge, lrhile losing none
Of his judicial dignity aeiH gain immensely
in effectiveness. Moreover. in this aoaY
epeH in large room. the proceedings can be
conducted more qntetfd and sym path eticaly
and ,eithont undue publictta Then. too, the
child be made to feel that he is talkin1
directly wtth the Judge, and that the Judge
IS carefully needing his story. If the child
be made 10 feet that the Judge liz cndeauor-
ing to get the truth from him rather than
from tc1tHeSseS aud that he is trusting him.
far better results aeiH be obtained. 1t is
totser. TOO, 10 folIoW the practice Of those
cities 1Ohtch hare dttfndunts and officials,
including police officers. appear ,cithom
uniform.
The CONT must dltodys aim not 10 DESTROY
bat to better the relations bet,reen the mar
ent and the child. and IL is therefore seldom
aoise TO reprtmdnd tho parent, no matter
hon deserving OF il he may be, in the pres
cHce OF the child.
While the proceedings ia thts court. as in
oil courts. should be public. so as to auert
Danger euen Of unjust suspicious. the great
est effort should be made to limit the ertent
Of publicity. Mere oilers and those impeIled
By curiosity should be erciuded from the
room; earnest students, on the other hand
should be admitted, ond fun opportunity
gtren them to study the proceedings While
sti'nuldtfno the public interest which is es-
sential to the toork Of the court. the Dress
should be induced to spare the feelings Of the
children, their relatives and friends BIZ not
printing real names or addresses
1.-THE object OF the {auenile court and Of
the Intervention Of the state is, OF course
IN no cGSe to lessen or soeaken the sense of
responsibility either Of the child or Of the
parents on the contrary the aim is to de-
uelop aud to enforce it,"