The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-10-31
IS WRONG.
The People Want Laws That Win Pay
Them for the Losses They
Have Suffered.

4
mark SO frequently, "Ycu bet your
boots If / stole anything. would
steal enough to make 1t worth while. :"
Or this remark, "Oh. what's the use
of having pros
ecuted. l won't get my money
back anyway" Ii the law 10
such that the big crook can prosper,
and the little crook get away because
1t does not pay the loser to prosecute
him. something must be wrong with
our criminal law. Ii just shows that
people don't think very much of the
idea Of vindicating the majesty Of
the law, or pay much attention to It,
What people are looking for is re-
dress. They want laws that viii pro-
tect their rights. laws that will dis
courage the big malefactor, and pay
them for the losses that they have
suffered. Now in all candor, does 1t
not look like this business of paying
fines into court, out of which the
real sufferer does not get single
benefit, was all wrong. Students Of
the history Of our criminal law some
times maintain that the system grew
out OF graft game by which the COT
fers of the old kings OF England used
to be swelled 1t certainly is true
that they needed the money pretty
badly and few of them were above
using their right royal prerogatives
in their own behalf
In Fulton county alone, during the
year 1911, one single charitable in
stitution supported or materially as.
sisted one hundred and fourteen
wives whose husbands had deserted,
leaving them in each case to care for
one or more children. What good
would it have done these women to
prosecute their husbands for abandon
ment? Imprisonment would have
broken their last straw Of hope OF
ever receiving the benefits of their
husbands labor. Is there not some
thing radically wrong about this?
| Somebody steals your COW. You
eventually discover the miscreant.
But he has sold the COW and its pres
emit whereabouts remain mystery.
The thief has spent the money and
is insolvent. Suppose further he Is
found to be not totally bad. If you
had him put in Jail, it would only
make him more depraved. All ne
needed was a thorough "tacking-up.
For his good, you want to teach him
lesson and for your good, you want
the value of the COW. You can look
high and low, but the Code Of Geor'
gia does not provide you with sin
gle means at accomplishing this re-
suit.
There will be way, If the next leg
i islature passes bill now before It.,
providing for the. suspension of sen
tence and the probation of adults.
Under this system, before sentence Is
pronounced, the probation officer, up
on the direction of the court, investi5
gates the character, history and cir
cumstances of persons on trial. The
information thus obtained aids the
| court in determining the most sulta.
BILE treatment for each defendant. II
your cow thief could show the court
that he wanted to do the square
thing. acknowledging his guilt and
promising to do better, he could be
nut on probation under the guperEiss
ion of a probation officer who would
help the fellow get job and from
his earnings deduct a weekly or
monthly sum, from which you would
be entirely reimbursed for your loss.
| Probation is the only way on earth
| to make lazy, good-fOr-nothing hus.
bands support their families. It Is
done by the same process. The pro-
batfon officer collects regularly SUI
fcient sum from the wages OF the
husband, which he pays over to MS
wife. The influence that q probation
officer exerts often results in the ad.
iustment of family difficulties and
the promotion of the familys welfare
The adult probation officer connect
Cd with the police department Of the
citv Of Atlanta in four years Time
ana In connection with his many 9th
er duties, has been able to collect IN
this way s4,511.45. There are great
many homes he has been able to be
q blessing to by showing irritable
husbands and wives the better way.
i Probation is often better plan for
treating drunkards than the jail or
stockade. The probation officer 90
certains the cause Of intemperance-
whether due to disbursement III
ness or a WORKOUT body, which 10
unable to resist its temptation. he
adants his treatment to the mans
! needs. A probation officer helps the
drunkard by inducing him to avoid
evil associates. change his place OF
abode. If it is near his favorite sa-
loon or change his occupation, II 1t
wears out his nerves and thus opens
wide the door Of temptation, or IN.
sist on the proper taking Of exercise
which will tend to build up ais con
. stitntion and provide him with the
punch to knock out his Desettng
sin. 49,,
Is this not the common sense way
of getting at some of the problems
which come before the criminal