The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-12

Juvenile judges, are appointed, devot-
ing their entire time to Juvenile Of
tenders. investigations are made about
the past environment and habits of
the offender, prior to the trial. The
young offenders are sentenced for In
determinate periods and put under
friendly guard Of special officers, call
ed probation officers. II the offender
for any reason must be deprived OF
liberty, reformatories rather than pris-
ons are preferred. It has been claim
ed that one probation officer in one
year can do more to prevent crime
than the best state attorney can do
in five years to protect society by
prosecuting offenders OF the law. At
the worlds convention OF the juven-
lie courts in Paris, 1t was resolved.
that these courts all over the world
shall cooperate. One judge. for IN
stance. inquired about an offender at
first In st. Gallen, Switzerland, then
at Birmingham. England, and finally
at Lille, France. The juvenile court
OF the civilized world have their own
office of information. The Juvenile
court system Is an effort on the part
OF the state and society to perform the
function Of moral education, often
neglected by parents. It's great aim is
not to revenge, but to save young peo-
pie. The result of the old method
was that the youthful offender FREE
quently learned in jail his worst les
sons in crime or in immoral practices.
Penal institutions became to large
extent schools Of vice maintained by
public expense. And this has been
going on for centuries! To America
belongs the honor of having made
one of the greatest discoveries OF
modern times: The discovery of the
youth! The most significant system,
attached to the Juvenile court, is pro-
baton. What is probation? The term
refers to the supervision of first Of
tenders, who after conviction are re-
leased under suspended sentence on
their good behavior, directed by a
guardian, called probation officer. Pro-
baton, therefore, is a test or trial OF
character Of a convicted offender. The
probation officer is expected to visit
the. probationer and to do what he
can to improve his surroundings and
habits. But, however, his power is not
arbitrary. The probation officer has
to report regularly to the court. All
Offenders are under the direct super
vision of the court itself. The proba-
toner must appear before the court at
stated intervals and the judge then
acts accordingly; admonishing, en-
couraging or censuring the probation
er, as the case may be. The juvenile
court want the cooperation OF the
church and the various societies OF
the same. One young peoples league
Of the Evangelical church, for In
stance, in less than six months, made
investigations about more than 100
youthful offenders. Their investiga-
lions included the circumstances OF
the parents, brothers and sisters. econ
omic conditions, housing, sleeping and
working conditions, the past OF the Of
fender, the cause of committing the
offense and how far the offender
might have an understanding OF the
wrong he or she committed. Most
important are the observations OF
psychological nature, which throw a
strong light into the soul of the youth.
But these young people did not only
watch these youthful Offenders and
report to the court, but they rather
cared for them, secured employment
for them, urged them to get rid OF
the dangerous companions, and adyis-
ed them in a spiritual way. II there
ia any 10y over one sinner, that re-
penteth, than over ninety and nine
that need no repentance, the church.
the brotherhoods and the young peo-
pies societies ought to find pleasure
in obeying her masters commands and
seek to carry real practical help to the
faltering youth in the great moral
crisis Of their lives.
BY means OF personal guidance
and kindly supervision of the propa-
ton officers and their co-operators.
many young people. having commit
ted their first offense. have been
kept out of the corrupting influence
and the disgrace OF going to prison.
and have been restored to their homes
with an increased prospect OF
changed life. And, certainly. 1t IS
wiser and less expensive TO save
young people at the beginning d
their downward career, rather than
to punish or to endeavor to reform
them after they have become naIoen-
ed criminals For this reason Dro-
therhoods and young peoples societies
should not only sympathize, but
rather cooperate with this philanthro-
mic institute This is home missions
in the highest sense of the word. In
this work young peoples leagues or
agencies of the church, would serve
in regeneration OF society and show
patriotic helpfulness for the moral,
religious and social welfare OF our
beloved country. Judge c. H. Young
heartily agreed with the system of the
juvenile court Rev. N. Hall gave an
interesting account OF juvenile
court session in Chicago. The other
speakers, taking part in the discus
sion, were: Mayor Barber, G. F. kopp,
A. Derksen, p. NJ. Harkrader, Mr..
Reece, Judge Crawford and Rev. Jagd-
stein. The next meeting will be held
at the Evangelical hall in Warsaw,
on February 81. The meeting was
dismissed with benediction.
Will save Won work