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New York s New Children’s CourtFirstInstitution of the Kind in the City to Open Next Week—A Curious Judicial Experiment—Where the Court Will Hold Its Sessions—To Save Juvenile Delinquents from Contact with Crime.TJESDAY, Sept.- 2, 1002, will, if all goes well, be a date to be recalled with pride in the annals of New York, in the records of the law and in the solution of social problems which concern the reclaiming of waifs of the poor. All Is now' in Readiness for the starting on that day of the . long-anticipated Children’s Court, which for the first time in New York’s history will take day by day her unfortunate or slightly sinning little ones and decide upon the best way of giving them a fresh start in life elsewhere than as part of a long docket of the dregs and criminals of society in police court or police station.The first document of this new court wras issued on Wednesday of this past week, quietly and without comment, despite its great importance, and it read:Resolutions adopted by the Justices of the Court n£ Special Sessions, First Division, Aug. 10 1002’Resolved, That we, the Justices of the Court of Special Sessions of the First Division of the City of New York, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 590 of the Laws of 1902, assign a separate part for the hearing and disposition of cases heretofore within .the jurisdiction of th Citv Magistrates, involving the trial or commitment of .children, which part shall be called the •• Children’s Court.” said Children^s Court to open on the 2d day of September, 1002, and it isfURe!olved. That the said court shall be held in the building 66 Third Avenue, in the Bwough of Manhattan, County of New York, and It isfURehsolved, That the Board of City Magistrates be herewith notified of the forcgoing resolutions: and that a copy of the same be forthwith mitted to said board.AFTER SEVEN YEARS.Thus there is launched a movement that has been In embryo and under discussion for nearly seven years, and that promisesworked out so that each Judge of the Special Sessions Court will take a term of two months at the juventile court at Third Avenue and Eleventh Street. Justice W111-ard Olmstead, the new Judge of Special Sessions, w'ho was formerly a Police Magistrate, will preside over the children during the coming months of September and October, and Justice Julius Mayer during November and December.The new court has a wide range over juvenile sin, disturbance, and trouble. It is limited in its powers but in two directions. Any crime that a child may commit under a capital offense comes within its bounds. Homicide may not, how'ever, be tried from its bench. Cases of this nature must go to General Sessions, the new law not changing the old In this particular. Again, In any case where a child is accused jointly with an adult, that case must come down to Special Sessions and be tried in the usual way.VARIETY OF CASES.But otherwise the juvenile court's powers are absolute. It will handle cases of vagrancy, thievery, burglary, truancy, cases of ungovernable children, of children led away by larger boys and girls, of ruffianism. This list but indicates Its province.All these juvenile crimes, large and small, have been taken up by the Magistrates' courts and the Court of Special Sessions in years gone by. But they have been handled In the midst of much other business, never before in an expert way. It Is In no sense to be the purpose of this new court to secure convictions and to send boys to institutions. The fewer such the greater sue-door on Eleventh Street, has been turned Into the court room. It is a large, well lighted apartment, high of wall and with a skylight in Us ceiling. Off of this are chambers for the judge. In a corner of the court room is to be the desk of the Assistant Clerk, who will be the Complaint Clerk.The court’s chief entrance is. on Third Avenue, and at the door here Is the office of the Clerk and his deputy. The children who are brought dowrn here will all be taken in this way, and piloted up stairs to the rooms above described. Adjoining their rooms Is a room for the police officers.Just what will be made of this Court, how It will succeed, is vet to be determined. Though a score of American cities at least have children’s courts no other can be recalled at the moment that has an entire building and targe equipment of its own, that has at the same time so powerful an outside organization as the Gerry Society assisting it and also holds sessions every week day throughout the year, excepting on holidays.Chicago’s famous Children’s Court, the model thus far for the country, is held but twice a week. Judge Tuthtll announcing one day as “ dependent day,” the other as “ delinquent day.” On the other days of the week Judge Tuthill tries other causes. Besides Chicago's the other courts for children are all small, though no less successful. None of these cities has found It useful or advisable as yet to procure a distinct institution on a plane with its other courts in a building of its own, witho rirs r\t TiirlirAe
Newspaper Details
New York Times
New York, New York, US
Sun, Aug 24, 1902
Page 22
Full Page
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