it is to look after all dependent, neglected and delinquent children is no doubt a step in the direction of a more thorough probation system. At present the County Agents in the large city districts have more cases than they can well investigate and conscientiously follow up. It is also unfortunate that the office is under political control. Too frequent change in Agents is not conducive to the best interests of the children whose friend and guide the County Agent should be. The above objection might be eliminated by having the State Board of Corrections and Charities appoint the County Agents, and holding them responsible to the Board. At any rate the County Agent system with a few desirable changes could easily be made the basis for an efficient probation system, and with a separate juvenile court in large cities would place Michigan in the forefront in her treatment of unfortunate children. The State Public School at Coldwater has done good work in caring for and placing out numbers of destitute and dependent children. In both the Industrial School for Boys at Lansing and the Industrial Home for Girls at Adrian an effort is made to conduct them largely on the "cottage plan". All high walls and fences, as well as unnecessary bolts and bars, have been done away with. But there still is room for better treatment of delinquent children in the police courts and jails of the larger cities throughout the State. The conditions which prevail in Detroit for the treatment of juvenile offenders are capable of some improvement. A careful study of the situation would convince any unbiased person of this. It is true that Act No. 110, approved May 9, 1901, provides that "no child under 16 years of age, while under arrest, confinement or conviction for any crime, shall be placed in any apartment or cell of any prison, or place of confinement with any adult who shall be under arrest, confinement or conviction for any crime, or shall be permitted to remain in room during the trial of adults," etc. It als that "the trial of children under 16 years of a crime or misdemeanor, before any magistrate of the peace, or in any court, shall be heard mined by such court at a suitable time, to be therefor by it, separate and apart from the tri criminal cases." An attempt has been made to adhere to th the law by setting apart Monday mornings fo of juvenile offenders; but it was found practic sible to keep them entirely apart from the con influences of a criminal court. The cases we the lower Police Court by a justice jury in same manner as adult offenders. Someti offenders were brought handcuffed to the w officer into the court room while juvenile cas progress. At the time set for juvenile cases experience usually to find the court room crow doors. It had all the appearance of a criminal lack of decorum was noticeable on several occ bailiff having constantly to call the spectators A number of young boys and girls having nothing to do with the case were often prese The prosecuting attorney presents the case in the usual manner. Witnesses are brought sides. The County Agent, who is suppose thoroughly investigated the home surroundin child, is the only defense, if no lawyer is hir the child's part. Practically no defense is ma County Agent during trial. It seems that with the Judge after the jury has disposed of and recommends to him what shall be done child. It should be noted that since this investig undertaken, a change has been made from N Saturday mornings for the trial of juveniles, and with some good results. At the end of the week the docket is cleared of most of the cases that accumulate over the previous Saturday night and Sunday-the inevitable drunks and disorderlies. There has been a marked improvement in other respects. However much improvement there may be, it is safe to say that there can be no permanent good results so long as the children are exposed to the contaminating atmosphere of a lower police court without the kindly guidance of efficient probation officers. A word should be said as to the confinement of juveniles in the county jail. No doubt advances have been made there in classification and treatment. The statute above noted provides that juveniles shall be kept apart from older criminals in the jail. That they are so kept apart is about all that can be said in favor of the present method. After the children are found guilty in court and sentenced to the Industrial School they are taken immediately to the county jail and there incarcerated In some until the County Agent removes them. cases boys have remained in jail two weeks before being transferred to the Industrial School. Boys twelve and thirteen years of age who have never been in jail before are known to have been placed in a cage with fellows sixteen years old who had been to the Industrial School several times, and were then in jail charged with serious offenses. Is it, therefore, not time that steps be taken to provide a separate place of detention for our juvenile offenders? IV. JUVENILE COURTS AND THE PROBATION SYSTEM. The Juvenile Court idea is a natural outgrowth of careful study given to the underlying causes of delinquency and crime. It is a recognition of the fact that crime is largely the result of neglected or childhood. By preventive measures it wi check the stream at its source. This is no idea. In business, in medicine, and in ou has long been felt that prevention is alway much less expensive, than uncertain cure. The first comprehensive expression of was the Illinois Juvenile Court Law. Its not radical, impractical "reformers"; but m thought and legal insight. They simply legal phraseology what students of penolog ogy had for some time been working out. of such law reflects more humane and nat in dealing with unfortunate children. In the treatment of juvenile offenders, as there has been a gradual evolution. The velopment in "The Care of Destitute, N Delinquent Children" has recently been pu admirable manner by Mr. Homer Folks. In that subject he points out that at the begi nineteenth century "there was not in exis United States a single institution for the re juvenile delinquents. 9921 The almshouse was originally the "catchdestitute, neglected and, ofttimes delinqu were placed indescriminately with pauper deficient. In time a separation between på and criminal was effected. But a very loose between destitute, neglected and delinquent vailed. "Children convicted of offenses we to jails and prisons along with adult off history of juvenile reformation during the be epitomized in a sentence-the removal offenders from association with adults, and 21 The Care of Destitute, Neglected and Delinquent ment from an educational and reformatory, instead of a punitive, point of view."22 At first it was deemed necessary to maintain large institutions where juvenile delinquents could safely be kept and disciplined. In a number of these institutions grave evils arose. It became practically impossible to make proper classification. The children, if retained too long, invariably became "institutionalized". Some of the "houses of refuge" and "reform schools" proved veritable "schools of crime" for first offenders. Despite all that was done to "reform" juvenile offenders they increased with alarming rapidity. It gradually dawned upon those striving to solve the problem that if juvenile delinquency was to be checked the causes which produced it must be sought and, if possible, prevented. Mr. Henry Boies, in his "Science of Penology", has recently laid down some general rules which well show the tendency of modern society in dealing with juvenile offenders. They are: "Ist. Imprisonment of juvenile and first offenders is 3rd. Juvenile and first offenders should never be con- 4th. The primary and supreme object of the sentence of a convicted juvenile or first offender is his rescue from a criminal life. 5th. The character and circumstances of the accused should be carefully investigated, and allowed full weight and influence in determining whether the 22Ibid, pp. 198-9. Dor M |