New Britain herald., 1923-01-18
First Repart on Work of Juvenile Court Shows the System Is funetioning Admirably Here.

in his first annual report for th
 juvenile court Of the elty ef Ne'
 Britain, Probation onieeE F, (, Con
 nally describes the new system
 complete success.
 The probation officer does not fee
 that there Is need for establishing
 place of detention for juvenile otieR
 ders, such as Is suggested by law, il
 feels that this phase Of the problem
 can he worked out ny the probation
 officer ami the parents,
 Probation offieeF eonnally's rtpor
 follows,
 Agreeable to custom which hal
 prevailed in the City and Police eonr
 sinee l 1908, when tho probation law
 went into effect, l submit herewith thu
 iirsl annual report and statistics oI
 the Juvenile court Of the City Of New
 Britain for the twelve months ending
 December 3l, 1929,
 Although unealled for by the
 Juvenile court law an annual report on the probation work connected with the court is not only enlightoning. in- teresting and useful 10 the officials oi our court but will also be in demand by their child welfare agencies iH preparing statistics and reports in th.ir own particular field.
 Total number of boys under ls brought in court from Jnnuary !, 1929 to December 3i. 1922, 2fl, To- tal number Of girls under is, i9. To- tai number of boys on probation car ried over from City and Police court January 1, 1922. Si. Total number of boys placed on probation during the year. as. Discharged from probation during the year. a3. Remaining on probation January 1. 1923. SC. Total number of girls under 16 carried over from City and Police court, 0. Placed on probation during the year, s. Dis charged from probation during the year. :. Remaining on probation January 1, 1923, 1. Number of girls committed to Long Lane Farm, Mid dletown, T. Number of boys commit ted to Connecticut School for Boys, Meriden, IA. Number of boys com mitted to Hartford County Temporary Home, 1. Number of boys returnecJ to Connecticut School for Boys for violation of parole. 1. Number of commitment cases appealed. 4. Num- Der of boys and girls cases suspend ed and discharged, 93. Number Of boys discharged from probation dur ing the year. 93. Number of girls discharged from probation during the year, '. Number of boys remaining on probation January 1, 1923. 36. Number Of girls remaining on proba- ton January 1, 1923, l. Number of ] cases settled out of court, involving "A boys, A. Number of girls cases set tied out of court. 5. Number of visits and investigations made in connection with the work, aside from office visits i by probationers, 394. Amount of money collected by officers from pro- bationers as restitution, s5s.75.
 Says Totals Are Not Excessive. [;
 Tn reviewing the foregoing figures the total number of cases coming to our notice is not excessive for a city of the population and cosmopolitan character of New Britain. In fact we are to be congratulated when it is recalled that representatives of thirty to thirty five nationalities make their home here.
 It may be we'll to recall the fund.- amental principle underlying the old and new way of treating the delin- quent under sixteen years of age who has to be taken in hand by the au- thorities. Under the old law the legal basis for the treatment of ju- venile delinquency in Connecticut was that the child is a criminal charged with and prosecuted for specific, of- fence, the procedure connected with the trial being practically the same as that of the adult. Under the new Juvenile Court law no child can be prosecuted for any offence before juvenile court nor does the decree of any such juvenile court carry a con- viction of crime. The hearing is held in place other than a criminal court and every protection thrown about the child to safeguard his interests.
 With this principle in mind, that the child is not criminal, the whole machinery of the courts had to be all tered to meet the new law. New Britain, by request of your honor, placed the common council chamber in the city hall at our convenience and since that time all the hearings of he court are held there Saturday mornings at nine o'clock. No one but hose directly interested in the case i ire allowed to be present except by permission of the judge, so that there S the necessary privacy, awhile the lightly of the proceeding is not lack ng and the child has an opportunity o give his version of the trouble to II he judge without being embarrassed ', IT frightened by uniforms or spec III ators. HI
 Less Criticism Heard. II At first there was fear in some II minds that thenew method was like H y to defeat it's own purpose in that he boy or girl would mistake kind ess for weakness and that those who II eeded to be disciplined would escape orrection. Other features were H