JUVENILE OFFENCES.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10757, 10 September 1900, Page 6

JUVENILE OFFENCES.

SUGGESTED REMEDIES.

(BT OTvB SPECIAL REFOBTEB.) All Trho have the prosperity of our young country at heart unite in the belief that there are few more important subjects than that of the moral well-being of our young people—the men and women of, the not distant future. It is a question that no nation—especially a young nation—san afford to ignore or even neglect: and it has been discussed in this city by religious and social organisations at different time*, and at the present } it is understood that the clergy of the dif- ! fereiit denominations arc enquiring into the .subject. To ascertain something of the state of affairs in Chris-Uhurch a representative of "The Press" had brief interviews with i several persons well qualified to speak with I authority on the subject. ■ "it is impossible to say, without looking up statistic*," remarked Mr Beetham. S.M., "whether or not the number of juvenile offenders is increasing; I am inclined to • \ think that there has been no appreciable increase recently—the numbers are practically stationary. There is no question about the reason for the existence of juvenile of- | fender#-boti boys and girls—and that is the absence of paternal control. The re- . medy for this is, of course, seif-evident, and : s metiines when making an order for the punishment of a juvenile offender, I feel

wudi more inclined to inflict punishment on tin. , parents." Referring to the recent case <;f two giris charged with vagrancy, Mr, Bcethum said that what was wanted is*power to commit such offenders to a ulace where they can be legally detained—such as the .Salvation Army Hume, the Samaritan Home. At present no such power exists, and though girls are committed to such homes, it is entirely on the Magistrate's own responsibility." Mrs Ounnington did not consider that tiie nuinbar of juvenile offenders is increasing, '"but," she continued, "the public are noticing such cases more than they used to, and

the existence of youthful vagrants and offenders appears to have been accentuated on the public conscience. On© reason why juvenile offenders -were not increasing was that the police are now very much more strict in their supeirision of the streets than they once were, and consequently larrikin boys and girls are watched and" arrested when occasion arises. Wlien the history of theso offenders was traced it was usually found that they were either orphans or the children of immoral parents." Mrs Cunnington was of opinion that the suppression of a certain class of house had had the effect of increasing the general immorality, but she did not think there wag any cause for the public to be alarmed respecting juvenile vice—as a community the children were not taking to a vicious life. Mrs Cunnington spoke strongly in favour of raising the age of consent to twnety-one years, and pointed out the ineffectiveness oi protecting girls only till they readied sixteen yeare of age, as a girl between sixteen and twenty-one was at an age when she was physiologically and mentally meet unstrung. She also be- , lieved strongly in giving Magistrates power i to commit girls to any of the existing Homes —always bearing in mind, however, the ' desirability there exists that these institutions should be inspected or supervised by, .the State. On account of the increased demands on these homes, Mrs Cunnington thinks that it may be absolutely necessary soon for the State to take some action with respect to supervision and inspection. In the opinion of Inspector Ellison a great deal of the crime committed by juveniles in this district (has bsen committed by absconders from Burnham, and instances have occurred where one boy has had seven or eight cases against him at different times, awl these could not be looked upon aa indicating the same number of individual criminals. Like everything else, juvenile i crime was spasmodic—sometimes crimes ! committed by aduke preponderated," and sometimes those by juveniles. He further considered that apart from tie offences committed by escapees from Burnham, the of- j fences by juveniles could hardly be described I aa crimes, but would be more correctly de- j signated mischief, and did not indicate the ■ presence of criminal instincts.