Evening star., 1927-05-15
BY GEORGE ADAMS HOWARD.

hIfI1 udSS, execution OF
the sentence suspended and
probation for one year"
l. Many a frequenter of Po-
lice Court has heard these
words enunciated by the presiding
| Judge, but few of the defendants them
! selves, speaking in the vernacular.
! know "just what it is all about" As
| a. matter of fact. many a defendant
! has only vague understanding OF the
word probation and often asks the
| Judge to be placed upon prohibition
| Probation is not, a S many think.
mystic term that alone saves them
! from going to Jail or paying a fine.
| Probation and the scope Of the work
Of the probation office are best de-
| fined by the officials of that office as
| follows:
| "'The Office investigates and receives
on probation ca ses of violations of the
/ District OF Columbia or United states
| laws, referred by the judges of the
| Police Court. The probation office is
! the social service agency of the court.
| Since the establishment of the proba
| ton system in October, 1910. more
| than 5000 persons have been saved
| from serving Jail or workhouse
| sentences and been given the oppor-
| tunity to reform under the care and
supervision of this office. Besides
| those actually placed on pobation
/ hundreds of cases have been investi-
| gated and referred to other social
| agencies. handled by sending out OF
town, etc. The visits to homes OF
| probationers to ascertain conditions
| and assist in re-establishment of fam
| lily relations is a most important part
| of the work. Careful records are kept.
| which are open TO all accredited social
workers"
| Seven hundred and seventy-six were
| placed on probation during the year
| 1926. and Of this number 7S orders
were revoked. Others kept poor pro
| bation but managed to avoid revoca
| tion. Thus far this year 43l are on
| probation. IntoXication is the prin-
| cipal cause. with minor assault cases
and traffic violations recorded as sec
! ond and third
OF those placed upon probation,
whose ages run from IT years to Sc. it
| is estimated that so per cent reform.
| that is. serve out their time faithfully
| and never come back. About 20 per
| cent of the pr0bationers are women.
| The age of Sc was recorded on the
| books recently when a man was
| brought into court for intoXication.
| According TO the probation officers,
| the man has reported regularly TO the
| CAh%S N'iNs aithode3lt llbC Ati iiACr AiEtsS x
| formed
| Carrying on the work of helping
others to help themselves In a small
room on the third floor of the trysting
| place of law offenders at Sixth and y
! streets. are Miss Estelle Foster, proba-
| tion officer, and three assistants. Mrs.
! Minnie f. Flynn. Mrs. katherine V.
! Mankin and Robert T.. L. Smith,
! Miss Foster is particularly fitted for
/ her position. Since October. 1917, she
! has served the Government there.
/ Prior to that time Miss Foster was
I connected with the Board Of Chldrens
| Guardians. beginning her work there
= in July. 1901, and before that she was
| connected with the Associated Char
! tiles.
Miss Foster is inclined to believe
! that the minimum age limit for Police
| Court defendants is too young. al
though L., Miss Foster stated, many
are mentally younger. and. in many
| cases, placing these young men and
| women on probation to so back TO
| their homes, where conditions are not
! favorable TO their leading better lives,
! does no good. An alternative is TO
| send them to Jail. and, in my opinion,
| the atmosphere of the average jail or
! Workhouse Is not helpful 10 the youth
| Of that tender, habit.forming age.
| There they meet with hardened crirni-
nails, aged in crime, and consequently
absorb many of their low ideas Of life.
| daily becoming more dangerous to SO.
I ciety. 1t would be far better for the
! law to allow the courts to send them
| back under the jurisdiction of the
Juvenile Court. In this | think Judge
| Sellers and l completely agree"
| When defendant is deemed worthy
| or probation, he or she is given term
| of six months or a year. The proba-
| ton Office investigates previous
| records and family life. and the de-
| fendant is required for a while to re-
| port in person once week. Later the
report Is every other week, and only
| legitimate excuses are taken for any
| absence.
II the excuse II not reasonable. OF.