The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-15
Says More Probation Off
GERS Are Needed to
Handle Delinquents
URGES PURCHASE OF
DEBARDELEBEN HOME
Ideal Detention Home Could Be Ar
ranged With Comparatively Little
Expense-2636 Cases Handled
Since Creation of the Court

Judge S. d. Murphy of the juvenile
court, has submitted a report on child
conditions in Jefferson county to the
welfare board. In his report the Judge
stresses the importance of having more
probation officers and especially en-
phasizes the necessity for having a per
manent home for the delinquents who
are almost daily brought before him.
He recommends the purchase of the
DeBardeleben property, which is now
being used Is a court temporarily.
The juvenile court was created by an
act of the legislature approved April 90,
1911 and formally began it's duties to
the children of the county on May 1,
following. Since that time. says Judge
Murphy in his reoort, the court has
handled the cases of 1886 children. In
1911 there came before the court 1047
children, delinquent, neglected or liv-
ing in improper surroundings. In 1912
the number was f132, and up to October
1, 1918, the total reached 457. OF this
number for the entire time, 1923 were
white males under 16 years of age, d79
were white females, 16 negro males and
so negro females. The judge pointed
out in his report, that, although the
number of whites was very much larger
than the negroes, 1t must be remem-
bered that nearly all of the whites
brought before him were dependents,
while practically all of the negroes,
both male and female, were delinquents
that is. had committed an act in vio-
1at of citrin OF Low
Disposition of Cases
The disposition of the cases, accord
ing to the report was as follows;
Committed to institutions, 20 per cent;
probation, 81 per cent; released to ps-
rents or relatives with friendly ad-
vice, 80 per cent?. committed to new
homes, country and city, per cent;
dismissed, per cent.
The causes of delinquency as given
in the report We're as follows:
Comfortable home, unmanageable boy
or girl, per cent; community neglect,
Oack of compulsory education laws and
schools for detectives 10 per cent pow
erty and undue thrift, IS per cent: or
phanage, AZ per cent confused family
conditions or degraded homes, % per
cent; and immigrants, per cent. judge
Murphy said in the report that pow
erty was a contributory cause in at
least 75 per cent of cases of delin-
quency.
Judge Murphy, in his report, tells
something of the workings of his court
and among other things, says:
"The court is in session every week
day in the year, no provision being
made for vacation or substitute Judge.
Its sessions are held at two places in
the court-at the DeBardeleben place
in Birmingham daily, and on every sec
ond and fourth Friday at the city ball
In Bessemer.
How Cases Reach Court
Cases reach the court in two ways -
any child coming within its provisions
who is arrested and carried before any
criminal court in the county must, by
virtue of the act, be transferred to the
juvenile court.
ANY person who knows of a child in
need of the courts care may file a pc
tition Con blanks FURNISHED by the
ccurt) setting out the facts, and thus
bring the child under the courts juris-
diction and care; or what is oftener
done, report the facts, and the court
will have probation officer file The pc
tltion. Where, however, this is done
a thorough investigation is first made
|Ly the officer before the petition is
filed There are no court fees or costs
Whatever.
.rhe problem involved in every case
whether of dependency, neglect, delin-
quency. cruel treatment, immoral sur
Iroundings, or guardianship, Is three
fold. First, the facts-all the facts
about the child, it's parents, it's home
UrToundings and conditions, its school
and neighborhood, Its previous habits
AMI character, its employment. its ply
scai and mental condition, its asso-
ciates, its relatives, nut be known.
What the child has done is of impor-
tance only insofar as it indicates what
the child is.
Having got this information. the
court seeks to find out the causes which
have brought about the delinquency,
or dependency, as the case may be, and
lastly, but not the least difficult how
20 deal with or provide for the child,
to the end that he or she shall have
the fair chance that is their due
Relative to the needs of the Juvenile
court, Judge Murphy had this to say in
his report:
rs the juvenile court properly
equipped to do its part of this work,
and if not, what are its immediate
pressing needs?
More Equipment Needed
Il answer no; 1t is not sufficiently
equipped and that in order to do its
work efficiently, it must have addi-
tional equipment. If 1t is to handle the
delinquent girl under 16, and the given
tables show what this problem is, 1t is
absolutely essential that the court have
a woman probation officer to act under
the authority and direction of the court
in handling these cases.
1T is also essential that the court
he given white probation officer 80
make the Investigations and do the
supervisory work in Bessemer and sur
rounding territory, Brighton, Lipscomh,
Woodward, and also colored probation
officer for this field. A white and n
cclored probation officer are also badly
rec ded for Ensley. Mulga, Pratt Guy,
Thomas and surrounding territory II
eficicnt work is to be done there"
The judge said in regard to the
purchase of the DeBardeleben prop.;ty
The county should buy the DeBardele-
leben property, now occupied by the
court as detention home 1t is admi-
| rably situated for the purpose, and the
building could be remodelcd and con-
vertsd into an ideal detention home,
with comparatively little expense"
The report was closed with this para
graph:
Heretofore. the kindly, but hurried
public never saw, as a whole, what it
| cannot now avoid seeing-the sad pro-
| cession of little children and older
brothers, who, for various reasons, can
not Keep step with the great company
OF normal, elderly, protected children.
| Arnold Toymbee said: If West London
could know East London, there would
E<~.S