DEGENERATE YOUTHS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 81, 7 April 1910, Page 8

DEGENERATE YOUTHS.

AMENDING ACT IN FORCE. "The Industrial School Amendment Act of last t-ession is now in forte," remarked the Mini.-ier of Justice to a Post representative tc "The object of the Act is to protect the country and the individua' himself against the influence of degenerate youths, and in this respect it will be auxiliary to the legislation which I propose to submit next session for the detention of young offenders under the principle of indeterminate sentences. iJnder this Act the authorities in charge of industrial schools who have under their observation ajid are in charge of youths who are reaching the age of 21 and who still show signs of degeneracy and want of control may, by proper procedure, detain such inmates after they have reach, ed the age of 21. This detention, however, must be on good cause shown, and every precaution v prescribed for the protection and proper liberties of the inmate (male or female). In proper case*, however, the magistrate may extend the period of detention for four veers aher the inmate reaches his or tier majority, and so on from time to time, so long as detention is considered advisable, both in the interests of the community and of the inmate. It will thus be seen that this is an application of the principle of indeterminate sentences, and is an illustration of the wue recognition in modern reformatory methods of the fact that liberty and freedom from restraint in such cases as I have referred to are not only a curse and menace to the community, but are in the highest degree prejudicial to the permanent welfare of the inmate."