The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-05

~ss'a ~ hAhN Nh'Css W 'f
constituted board OF parole. Sending
them back and forth to Blackwelrs
Island is one Ct the most ridiculous
proceedings imaginable. Our Magis-
trates are not to blame. Commissioner
Davis is not to blame. The system
Is all at fault.
Foreign officials come to this city
and express their astonishment at
the good conditions that exist here.
This has been brought about by the
cooperation of the police and the Mag
istrates in the Night Court for Women.
Any lessening Of this cooperative
work, anything that would take from
the power and discretion OF the Mag
istrates in that court would show
immediate bad results.
The building OF a house of detention,
prison and court house, solely for
women whose cases arise in Manhat-
tan and The Bronx. is well under way.
IL became necessary to acquire an
additional lot OF land on Thirtieth
street, costing s65 5000, which sum was
taken out Of the appropriation for the
building proper. The building plans
are 10Y being passed upon for ap-
bhSNpt ~ NIN utDdl NlEltIllS
Of the city government.
The exact amount of the deficiency
required to be added by the city au-
thorities to the original appropriation
cannot . be a~scertained until this is
done. Changes have been made with
a view OF lessen!ng the amount as
much as possible. There Is no reason
to doubt that the building will be
well under way this year.
As many of the progressive move
ments in connection with these courts
have been adopted in other cities I
have no doubt that in the future this
great Advancement will also be imi-
tated. When Il is completed and the
whole institution. including the court.
under way II will show a high water
mark in the humane, decent and
equitable way OF dealing with women
who have broken the law or are
charged with offences. most OF them
trivial in character.
One question often asked is this:
What class OF cases do we finger
print and what are results?" Persist
ent offenders. such as drunkards.
'r lAN III vi lIltlls
are finger printed.
The finger print system has 70 be
complete or II is OF little value. That
means h a the court with the small
est number OF cases must have as
complete a set OF finger prints as the
our with the largest number OF
cases. 1t also means hat ~ print
taken in one court shall the next day
be in all the courts and that an expert
must be in attendance at each court
so as to be able TO read these records
within a few minutes after the fresh
print is taken.
The results OF the finger printing
have been astonishingly gratifying
and effective. Defendants OF both
X will stand before the Magistrate
and solemnly declare they have never
been in court before and within a few
minutes afterward the finger prints
will show two, three. four and five
or even more convictions. This shows
the Magistrate at once what kind OF
case he is dealing with and IL Is often
better than a report made after in
vestigation.
No finger prints are taken in the
Domestic Relations Court, which deals
wholly with family troubles. The rea-
son are obvious.
The cost OF finger printing Is con-
siderable, but It's benefits to the COM
munity are incomparably greater. \
centralized system of finger printing
for the whole OF Greater New York
would be OF tremendous advantage to
the law abiding and Of great use TO
the Magistrates In d.sposing Of cases.
The results already achieved in