Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-17
GREAT NEED OF NEW
DETENTION HOUSE

Hntor Every Evening: Tho need OF
an adequate detention house has been
brought to the attention OF tho public
by an artielc In a local paper, under
date OF April ., headed. -Four 1+-Year-
Old Lnds jailed With Murderers for
Trespsss."
The f,cts of the case are ss follows:
-Four boys. giving Philadelphia as
their home, wero arrested IN the
county by special officer OF tho Penn
syIvania Railroad for trespasss They
s14 Washington street. by the ofYicer
late at night on April 7.
Their ages wero givon To the
matrons as sixteen. not fourteen. ss
later stated. Tho law Gays boys under
| fourteen shall not be put 10 n prison
or JAN. II has often been necessary.
on account OF lack OF room al the de-
/ tcHtion house. 20 send runaway boys
fsom fifteen 20 seventeen 10 the police
station for the night.
| Tho detention house has AZ present
! only one room, containing AZ me
most three beds. where boys may be
confined, and n. this room was oc-
cupisd by a small boy Sent by ths
authority Of the Juvenile Court. tho
naron vas unable 20 take care Of
four large boys.
Though greatly desired by me
Juvenile Court. lie jurisdiction dOet
not extend beyond the city limits and
az these boye were arrested IN the
county, their cases came before
Magistrate Broman.
on accoury Of iack Of rccrn AZ ths
detention house. tho ma gistrats hat
20 commit these boys n fhs work
house unfit their parents could d
communicated with and tho toy
taken 90 ,hcfr homes
When tho public understands tfra
all trJmnts from our public schools
VINO cannot be protsted 20 thei
psren,s have 90 De kept in such iurti
t,sl0n TIL their cases can be settled. a
well az all other cavcs n Juvenile do
ihnquency and dependency. ths nee
, for proper quarters IS painfully ap
, parent
The ages of children under the car
, Of the Juvenile Court range froT
! babies 20 girls of eighteen and boy
! Of seventeen years OF age The pre-.
ent quarters at the detention hous
. consist OF two rooms whero childre
2 can DO confined. one room for gir
4 and one room for boys. Each room wi
i accommodate OF the most three chi
, dren. These rooms are at present n
y only place the detention house has
& confne both colored and white chi
Z dren or both sexes and all ages. ySha
ever rheis- offenses may have bee
Il The gravity OF tho situation can
q understood by ali.
4 No one regrets such a state OF a
n fairs more, nor 20 no one does II o
- casion more concern than 20 u
Judge and chief probation officer al
the members OF the Juvenile Cou
Association The latter organizatiC
Is bending every effort toward n,
turing plans 70 secure funds by whi,
an adequate detention house may
built. II must be large enough 20 z
Tow FOR oIrr growing city and al
to accommodate not only children {
rectly under the Juvenile Court.
children under the care OF other a
sociatfons, as well as those from {
county and State. There must be
pace where these children can
properly taken care OF and confirl
TIL their cases can be properly d
posed OF.
Il IS greatly TO be hoped that c
citizens viii give this matter OF
proper detention house their seric
consideration.
Anna M. Ferris,
Chairman Publicity Com.
Juvenile Court 81 Probation AS
Wilmington, April 10, 1922.