The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-11-18


probationers and parolers give us little
or no trouble. 1t is these habtnal GRIM
| inals that give us our greatest concern
and causes whatever criticism that ex-
lists regarding the work of the depart
menf. and | submit that when man
has had repeatedly an opportunity Tor
reformation given him by a generously
disposed court and has failed TO avail
himself OF that generosity then when
he next comes before the court mitt-
mus should issue when guilt is found.
$40 department or administrator
can hope for a satisfactory degree OF
success with this class Of cases. ! am
sure that the representatives OF depart
ment of Justice who are present are IN
accord with the law and appreciate
that in order to make probation sue
cess bv aiding those, who through
crime. come in contact with our law,
we must make the law mean exactly
what il says. The orders Of the court
must be respected and this can only
be done by official friendship backed
by that degree of firmness essential for
the protection of the public and the
probationer.
..sThe constant offender against our
law should know that when he next OF
tends he will not be regarded as a
proper subject for the benefit of the
probation system IL is unfair to place
upon this department work which Is
more closely associated with police
work than il is with probation duties.
ITO sum up: To admit the habitual
criminal TO probation seriously handi-
cans our work. increases the cost of the
department and serves no good pur-
pose. He who will not accept the gener-
osity OF the court in the spirit in which
il Is given with the determination.
through the supervision and assistance
of the probation officer TO return Go so
ciety. obey its laws, discharge his prop
err obligations in manly way, and try
to regain his proper position among
men is not proper case for proba-
tion.
1.-THE good friends of this department
seems to have come to the point where
they feel that much that is TO be done
which has relationship to charity,
health, prosecution, sanitary condi-
tions, neglect. cruelty, dependency. de-
F, linquency, etc, is proper activity for
this department. We are called upon TO
investigate every conceivable kind of
thing in every part Of our state, and If
| it develops that there is some cause for
the complaint, then we are expected 10
bring petitions and prosecute the mat
ter in court; find solutions for the
problems, etc.
aOf course not 80 per cent Of these
complaints develop cases that should
have come to our attention but we are
asked to do this work at a consider
able cost. The public seem to lose
sight Of the fact that there are more
than 246 city and town grand jurors
and IA states attorneys who are
charged with and would doubtless be
glad to do this work and bring such
prosecutions as would seem to be nee
essary. This thing has grown until we
are using more Of our appropriation
for this kind Of work than should be
diverted from actual relief This line of
work not only entails a considerable
field expense but keeps up an increas-
ing Office expense.
The board j. not inclined to give up
all investigations. but l think il would
be quite a. sensible to expect Mr.. vii
son to 90 out and make investigations,
bring petitions for delinquency in court
and prosecute them and take the chill
dren to the industrial school as IL Is
to expect US to do exactly that same
thing. / am inclined to the idea that 20
per cent Of the eases should he handled
bv the town and county officials and
only the ref problems should come to
the state for assistance