The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-05-28
REVIEWS APPEAL FOR
JUVENILE COURT
LEGISLATION
Laws Should Hold Parents Re-
sponsible for Bad Boys,
Says Judge Craig; 20 Pro-
bationers on His List.

iooktng over hls docket today, Poe
lice Judge GEORGE " Craig WIS moNed
to renew his appeal for legislation
that will put New Mexico on a level
with other states that ave acted for
the welfare OF Juveniles who are the
Victims OF bad environment There
are twenty boys at the present time
ON the Judges list OF "probationers.
all of whom will be required to make
report to the MAGISTRATE tomorrow.
They are on probation In name
only New Mexico has no law eni-
powcring u Judge To put a juvenile
r~elinpucnt on probation There - no
juvenile court ana no probation ON
Ger. The only laws affecting tho
small boy Who steals OF commits
other acts constituting what the
statutes call "a crime are those de-
signed for grown men aud hardened
criminals.
1T is time that New Mexico had
legislation dcaling with the dclin-
qucnt juvenile ON the same lines as
that In other progressive states, said
Judge craig Citizens uf this city
should realize their duty In this mat
ter and carry the demand Tor a iuvo-
nile court and other welfare meas
uree 90 the Legislature Ia much manner
as viii put an end To h present
staff of affairs.
'At the present time there are
twenty boys. ranging in age from \
to a.. that I have reporting To- me.
over those delinquent boys the law
gives me no reai cortective authority.
Acting directly under the law I can
treat those boys like Frown-up and
hardened criminals or / can urn
them iOosc-tn either case running
the boy and adding another danger
To- society. ! get around the law In
some measure hy continuing the cases
of juveniles accused OF crime. and re-
curing them To- reappcar each Satur-
day before me. But under tina sys-
tenn ! must depend on the cO-opcra-
ton OF the parents To- accomplish
ans real results. and unfortunately 1
have found that delinquent boys as "a
rule come from homes where the
parents are not giVcn TO much
thought as to their responsibility. In
many cases the parents are worse
than the children, aud AFFORD the
Simplest explanation 81 how the chill
dren got into the hands OF the police
IN the hrst place.
- boy or a parent Directing to my
continuing the ease may demand
trial, and ! must face the Alternatives
J have mentioned mast treat he
boy as "a criminal. instead OF "a bad
boN' on simply free him to go on bcins
"a bad boy until he does become a
criminal IN fact
We should have laws that give as
not MY Npntrol of the d%cliuauent
boy, hut enable us 90 go nhck of tho
Dos aud furCe the parents to do Eomo
measure Of their duty To- him. ~ that
the conditions which create dclln.
pucncN shall not be- continued or ag.
~gfaVatrd. Take the case OF u hos
who is arrested Tor petty thirving
Tie learned To- prN OF SCREEN catches
infi 10 loosen window fustcnings from
the younH toughs with whom h,
hung nhaut the streets and allcNi
after dark they led him into thicN.
ing II that boy had not hocn allowed
&" run uhpu the streets nights. u be-
mad been compelled Co keep awuA
from cru companions. hc Wouldn
have gone wrong But under IA,
present law we can't go tr the par
cnts ana say Here, You must no
let your boy roam the streets n
night Keep him home, and keep hin
from running around with older. wild.
cr boys They can laugh at ar under
the present law. We should have au.
thoTity 10 hold Inc parent responsible,
when the boy becomes delinquent
That b. enc OF the most effective
measures in dealing with the dclin
qucut N%runEsteF. Judge Ben LindSci
- Denver has ia me so. and n
should know, H anyone, what mcaa
utcs are needed 10 handle the bo'
problem am convinced. myself
from my own observation tina "a iav
glting us power 10 hold tho parent
responsible would help W. immcasur
ably IN rcmaking the delinquent hoy
the present time ! AN hoipc'