Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-02-21
.CH|LDREN's JUDGE SEES
DROP IN CHILD CRIME
Becoming increasingly Difficult for
Boys TO BE Bad In
New York.
wRoNGDoING At a MINIMUM
Trivial Gases No Longer Get into
Juvenile Court, ami Crcatiun OF
institutinnniizcti' Youths Shows
Marked Failing on

NEW YORK. Feb 2O.-it : hc,o,u.
int nsr"aS ,nEly ,dihicun Tor boys to
-. - li New NorN Trivial cases
no longer get into the Childrrn.s
court, an! tn" creation Of ''insiit,.
'ioha 'iz"d Youths. which in many
CASES has spelled 4 lie OF crime. IL ~
tenn -
-, The" rs nothing sensational in
franklin Chase tioyt. of The CHI
drcns Court TIA" sam, min nr
Ny WaFdn"sS among children exists
, ~ dii t"n Years ago Gut ia.
increased tromcuduusly l.nvimr ~
court practically Tree to deal with III,
~. matters w. ar" now ahl. to 20
III - hem a We wish
ihe hig Improvement is the rcsuI,
o. ne CIVIC ana social effort Ia eii,ni-
mt my, IN causes which have been re
S""nISl.'| t3r much delinquency aud
ne work Of prevention which has
nvrn engaging the attention % so
~ hisenr,.S and "rGanizatious-
.Httii!Ecicc. AS evidenced by IN. ,.-
tFlties of III" settlements community
Sy,,,TI clubs parents associations
probation systematic Intensive ~
."riS of :he court i;sclf -the.. nrr
some "i the things which have i'm
-, H. M conditions surrounding the
'hI,nr"n OF our Commuuitv
W hcn one reflects tina; i'm 1917 an
proNimately 1000 children, w.rc
-, hsi before the courts which was
al ratio OF iO.g3 TO each 10 Gno 80;
ponuIat !on, ana tina; they have grad
ua!'N. but steadily. decreased Ia IL.
~. IN 1920; which is at the ratio of
"" 10 each 10000. II must servo -
ehc@urag. even The most pcssimIsti l.,
indeed. had the ratio Of arrnirn.
nl'h'S 70 population in 1920 r.mni,ind
in' S5nlS as IN i""7 The arraiGnments
IA 1870 would have reached the hurn
sota! OF 5000. or il.42n more than
WnSt they actually wer"
II IS the moro dlncui; prob
LII M. We are called upon 20 solve.
w" |" mat end tn" court - dcvo,ing
Er"at'r effort aud deeper study y,a-
ny Ecar. The Childrcn's Court is not
= tnr"-'iI i"r the evils that am;ci
'h, children OF tn. community
lEy its Very nature ii mast deal VIII,
ne cases which com" before /; one
~ ono. specifically and individually.
!, IS. as 1t should be-. "a tribunal 81
IaSt resort. ana If the faults or the
vh'idron can bc cured without bring
!nE them h"for" il, go much thr bel
Yer o"th for the children and the
Perhaps the most eirnificant f.a.
tH'' OF 'hc years work is 20 be found
~ the great decrease in the number
pl ch!iurvn committed TO institutions
IN IN ~ such compliments fell TO !
?"2. the smallest number eyer re.
c"rd"d. This means tremendous
L" ~, c1i%-'n fact. the say
the. court work and ii avoids the
evils OF institutio,aiism
.'uSiIc" iiOyi exploded tho theory
mat any one rae" IS Responsible for
incrcaslnE the figures for Juvenile
law-hrcaking. Tho ratios. h. declared
are "NacnT In Keeping with inc va
Tious racial clements in the city. 10
NOR" and no less Furthermore. ti,cr.
was no his !ncr"asc OF child-crimc
curing the war years. and the cigh-
tS"nth snnendmrnt has not affected
the situation TO any noticeable de-
The orc biz improvements" the
Justice emphasized. is IN thu correc-
i've influences Moro attention is
hning devoted 10 tho rising genera
ton by various civic agencies, AVID
This "a wonderful sign The prog
rn"- ran nr rrSInUod from jas; n NJ
y" fact. Tn" Society for tho Prc.
v"n'i"n or cruelty to hni,raIn ante.
dated til" similar society FOR chill
Grer, An ngo;:t OF tn" former found
a child III iis,r"ua and figured mat
tho cAlii. III Tho irst nnnlYsi,. vvas
an ANAL. and should l." protected
INhi nnt ihr figures have given
show tn" p""Er"-s.