The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-03
FIRST OFFENDERS SHOULD BE KEPT
 AWAY FROM JAIL
Mrs. Searight Makes Recom- mendatiOns to Commits sion in Monthly Report
 Submitted Yesterday

Mrs. Wilson Searight the well known social worker. who is at the head of the welfare department of the city of Bir- mingham, suggested in her monthly re- port, made public yesterday. that spe- cial court for women be created by the city commissioners. The report also con- tained several other suggested reforms. In the May report of Mrs. Searight 1t
 Is shown that 9S cases of delinquent
 women were investigated This was at
 the rate of three per day.
 In speaking of the report, Mrs Searight stated that she was strongly in favor of the Iowa injunction law, which placed
 the burden of proof on the property
 owner instead of on the police in regard
 to dsorderly houses. The report says: "It was my privilege during the month
 to attend the National Conference of
 Charities and Corrections at Memphis, and I wish to express my appreciation of the opportunity given me to hear the most noted social workers from the Uni ted States and Canada.
 "The study of the social evil is engag- ing the attention of thoughtful people everywhere and the policy of suppression is being pursued in a great many cities. All agree that segregation is the most
 inhuman as we'll as the most unsuccess-
 full way of treating it.
 Tn every city where segregation has
 been abolished. has come the very diff cult problem of dealing with the women
 and girls. Every opportunity to reform has been given, while comparatively few
 have availed themselves of this offer.
 Why this is true. l cannot say, but it is the strongest argument against segrega- ton. In our own city. after the closing of the restricted district. just one keeper of house expressed desire for a clean life and she is now a member of a church and working for her living "The most difficult of all vice resorts to deal with is the hotel There is an air of responsibility about them because the greater portion of the business is respectable. However, all are used more or less for immoral purposes, and all are frequented by solicitors. Ii should not
 be necessary to make repeated raids on
 these places, for after one or two con- victions, there should be a grand jury
 investigation. The best weapon with
 which to fight the vice question is the injunction law, first passed in the state of Iowa. but now in force in several states. I have copy of the law and
 will be glad to let anyone interested read it.
 Tn every case of first arrest of young woman, I most earnestly beg that she be sent to Mrs. Lindey, instead of being put in jail Such an experience
 humiliates a girl so that every shred of self-respect Is taken from her and
 she becomes utterly reckless as to her
 All. a.,I xle in police court is another custom l would see abolished. A women's court could be held two or three times a week with lit tle work and no extra expense. To secure compliance with the law and not to make arrests should be the highest duty of every officer The really efficient officer is the one who can secure law observance
 without arrests. A police force with a
 social conscience could be of greater service to mankind than any other organ izaton in our city.
 "It is clearly our duty and should be our desire to do all in our power to help our unfortunate fellowman, especially our women and girls; for 1t is truly said that no nation can rise above it's women !" Following is the detailed report on the work of Mrs. Searight in the past month of May:
 Birmingham. June 2. 1914.
 The Honorable Board of Commissioners, City.
 Gentlemen-I herewith submit my re- port for the month of May, 1914, which reads as follows:
 Number of cases reported, 93; referred to Judge Lane. 1; juvenile court. 6; day nursery, 1; Judge Abernethy, 2; sent home F.
 Sent to convent. 1; Holy Innocents hos pital ?; Salvation Army, g. Pisgah home, {; almshouse, 2: Volunteers of America. 4; Alabama Home of Refuge. 1; Mrs Lindley l. on probation 8; work secured for 4, assistance given !. rates secured 6. home for babies, 2. Respectfully, MRQ WILSON SEARJGHT