The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-19
Demonstrate Also Need Of Pro-
posed Juvenile and Domestic
Relations Court
Disposes of Cases
of 265 Children
Nearly Three Thousand Have
Passed Before That Tribunal
Since Its Creation About
Three Years Ago

The Juvenile Division of the Police
Court disposed of the cases of 265
children In the three months ending
March 81. 1915. OF these children
brought before the court l5l were
male white. and twenty one female
while seventy-one ware coiored males
and twenty two females.
Since April 2, 1912, when, under an
ordinance OF the Council. Justice John
]. Crutchheid opened Special SEES
sion" OF his court for juvenile Offend
ers the startling total of 2.627 chill
Arsn have passed before this tribunal,
In 1914 about se5 cases came up. so
that II the remaining months of 1915
hear out the opening, the court Will
handle nearly 100 more cases this
year.
These figures on the growth and in
creased usefulness OF the special Juve-
nile Division OF the Police Court have
been issued by the Juvenile Protective
Society to show the urgent need for
the establishment OF the Juvenile and
Domestic Relations Court.
Comes Up Tuesday.
The ordinance forming such q court
has been recommended by the Ordl-
nance Committee Of the Council, and
win receive a second hearing before
> the Finance Committee on Tuesday
night The ordinance provides for the
establishment of the special court
under a permissIve law passed by the
last Legislature. 1t will involve no
increased expense az the salaries will
be paid out OF the funds already al
iotted 20 the Juvenile Protective work
in the oity's annual appropriations
The proposed court has been endorsed
by many OF the social service and cor
receive organizations In Richmond.
OF the 1S6 cases recorded a number
were promptly dismissed. Others were
admontshed and returned TO the care
of parents. Some ninety lone have been
placed on probation. comprising sixty
eight white boys, sixteen coiored boss
and seven colored girls. The probation
system Is used for cases where the
home surroundings are desirable and
the child shows desire to make
good" The child is supervised by the
probation officer. who requires him 70
attend school or IF old enough. TO go
10 work 10 be off the streets early
each night and to avoid bad company.
He must report 10 the probation off,
Ger once week for four. six or
twelve months. or until released The
offfcer tries TO interest the child in
the Boy Scouts, the Sunday school
athletic club. or TO get a man or woman
10 help mould the youthful character.
Reports from parents and teachers
Keep the court informed OF the con-
duet OF the prohstioner
Prohatfcners Reformed.
IN Richmond only a small per cent
Of probation cases are ever rear
rested for other oGenses The results
o! this system in keeping young boys
straight ard so saving heavy criminal
expenses to the city and State are
shown In the typical instances of two
white boys. aged thirteen and fifteen,
who broke into a store and stole a
large sum OF money. This is a felony,
and under the old system the offenders
would have been sent to the Refor-
nsatory TO become a charge on the
State. Instead they were put on pro-
baton. and made good. One boy
worked nj his trase attended night
school. and will become a good citizen.
In the three months record thtr-
ty-two children have been taken
from the control OF vicious parents
or from probation II that has failed,
and sent to the country. The right
environment often works wonders
with the character OF an apparently
incorrigible child. The child liz com
mitted TO the Juvenile Protective So.
ciety TO the Children's Home So
riety. the State Board of Charities
or similar organization. They place
the child in home where 1t will
have good influences. training, dis.
cipline. and chance at school In
cases where repeated trials on pro.
baton have failed and the child Is
TOO old to be placed in a private
home. the offender Is sent to an in
stitution to he placed under the strict
discipline needed for their control
An effective part of the Richmo md
system for protecting Juvenile offend
ers from the shame and dangers o.
jail and open court is the Detention
Home at Twelfth and Marshall
Streets. This home is under an ef-
ficient matron. Mrs. George f. Tay-
Tor, and her husband. who assists In
the management OF the large boys
children have entered the home. The
daily average is five or six children
and the length OF stay about six
days. The colored wards of the
court are boarded with a colored
family at 205 North College Street.
Laws on the Subject.
Virginia's Jaws provided that, ex-
eept ins aggravated cases. no child
shall be sent TO the station house or
iail. Even In the Detention Home
here the child who is just neglected
or dependent. while waiting to go to
the country or school Is kept in sep
.arate rooms from the child who Is
real offender against the law. The
purpose Of the system is to keep the
child from evil influences and so
prevent the development of crimi-
nails.
The Richmond Juvenile protective
work has shown that perhaps the
chief cause of delinquency Is bad
home surroundings where the parent
may be simply weak and unable to
control the child. or actually dissi-
mated vicious or immoral. Bad
companions. is another cause of ip-
yerile mistakes. Dime novels, yell