Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-01-04
ABOUT THE YOUTHFUL
CRIMINAL

An upright judge before whom
youth Is brought on criminal charge
for the first offense is not always In
en- enviable position. He should not
permit his judgement to become OBJ
livious of the effect of his decisions
upon society as well as upon the
youthful criminal. The latter is be-
fore him. Pleas of heart-broken pa
rents fill his ears, or, on the other
hand, he sees that the youth has not
had a chance such as he should have
had, that environment and circum-
stances have much to do with his be-
ing where he Is.
In the lower, especially In the
municipal courts, there is opportunity
for a Judge to do a great amount OF
good and we have instances in mind
where to our knowledge this is being
done, Judges, who give Of their time
outside the mere requirements of
their official obligations, conscien-
tiously studying cases and sparing no
effort to help the individual to be-
come q constructive rather than a de-
structive element in society, render
inestifnable service. We like to think
they will, all in due time, receive
their reward. The public should be
mindful of such efforts and show ap-
probation.
In the larger courts the need OF a
probation officer is apparent, likewise
the need Of the right kind Of man.
He it is, who has the opportunity to
sift the facts from the fiction, to form
Judgment respecting the character OF
the offender. of his capacity to re-
spond to help, and present the situa-
ton to the court in comprehensive
detail. This IL now possible in the
Federal courts, under a recent law.
Judge Edwin L. Garvin Of the U. S.
District Court Of Brooklyn recently
broadcasted an address on this sub
1ect. He said the Federal courts
handle as many as a thousand cases
= year Of youthful offenders where
there is need of the aid of probation
officer. He finds that in many in
stances these youth are not real
criminals. He believes that it is
+ common sense humanity to give such
q chance to redeem themselves. o.
All this undoubtedly Is true. Like
wise events have shown many In
stances where the judge or the pro-
baton officer has made a sad mistake
and society is called upon to suffer in
consequence of poor Judgment or
worse on the part of those to whom we
must look for capable judgment. The
solution does not appear to lie in
sympathy for parents friends or for
the offender, rather In knowledge of
the situation, comprehension of the
possibilities and of the capacity of
the lawbreaker. Such comprehen-
sion needs not only rare judgment but
also the aid of expert advice; needs,
as well, facilities for restraint suited
to the mentality Of the criminal. AS
matters now are it often seems i'm
possible to do the youthful erring one
justice by sending him into any form
of restraint that society has provid-
ed, whereas to let him go is pretty
certain to inf1ict an injustice on So
ciety. The latter cannot be properly
protected by sending the first offender
to a place where he will be forgotten
and permitted to become a chronic
hostile to society. Because this has
h44 \. i
TO choose between consigning the Of
fender to an environment out of
which he was most likely eventually
to come a hardened offender, or let
ting him go on probation insufficient
ly guarded or deserved, society has
suffered greatly and must continue to
do so until it provides the court with
better facilities for applying wise and
helpful restraint.