Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-10
PROBATION WORK
Of COUNTY COURT
is ESTABL ISHED
Juvenile Division Starts Out
Under the Most Favorable
Auspices.
ANTICIPATE GOOD RESULTS
Mrs. Carrie o'connor Is Chief Officer
and Is Well Qualified to
Handle Position.
ANTICIPATE GOOD RESULTS

The juvenile work OF the county
court. recently established with Mrs.
Carrie OConnor as chief probation
officer. promises TO do much for
youthful offenders. Mrs. OConnor is
unusually well qualified to handle the
department and a complete change
in the method Of caring for probation
matters will be instituted under her
guidance. Acting County Judge B. S.
Bell has been actively interested in
the new move and is RESPONSE
BILE for the introduction of the plan.
4 STATEMENT.
In speaking OF the work Mrs.
OConnor has the following to say:
Juvenile court division in Rock Is
land county, under the Honorable
Benjamin Bel, county judge protein,
has started its work in the interest
OF our juvenile offenders with very
good results, as all cases placed I'M
der its supervision so far have been
responded 10 nicely. Perhaps it
needs an explanation in regard to its
work to the public, as very little has
been said about il in the past.
The relation OF the juvenile court
and the probation system to our
schools, social agencies and commun-
fly in general and most important,
the individual himself, is one of the
most important questions Of the day
and one that citizens should be inter
ested in. 1t viii be necessary
TO consider some OF the forces which
create the necessity OF a juvenile
court and probation work.
PERPLEXING SITUATION.
children are found in a great va
riety Of perplexing situations, which
are unfavorable to the physical, men
tai and moral development.
In our community we are not
confronted TO any great extent with
the mines, mills and factory situa-
tons as they are in the south and
other parts Of the United States, but
we have other problems to demand
our most careful attention-the
breaking-down Of industrial condi
tions, the improper home conditions
the enforcing of our compulsory edu
cation laws. the curfew laws. the sale
OF cigarets and intoxicants to minors
and many other minor offences. and
also handling of juvenile cases III
our justice of the peace courts; and
after IL is all said an explanation
Of causes all leads back to the
home and mother, and the commun
ity-not that the father is relieved
OF any responsibility in the discip
line Of the home, but as the mother il
closer TO the home at all times, the
responsibility seems 10 fall 10 her
would like to say right here that i
would be better II the average fathel
would help in making of the discip
line of the children in the home NOR,
than is done: that is. if he is a sober
and good father, as We hope they al
are.
READY TO ASSIST.
The juvenile court stands ready C
assist in all cases where the environ
ment demands such attention. ]
wishes to cooperate with the parents
II is the aim OF the court to remov
whatever stands in the way of Ell
vironment. This is done through il
kind and firm way-nOt only for tn
welfare of the individual. but his use
fulness TO the community. No mothe
wants TO see her child go wrong. no
does any child want 10 become a vic
tim Of the law if he can help it. Will