CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,-Mr. Percival strikes a pessimistic note in his letter, which is unlikely to find an echo amongst other chairmen of Children's Courts.
Why is an approved School obviously inappropriate ? There is an increasing demand for this form of treatment, and conse- quent pressure upon the accommodation in the schools. The work which they are doing is shown in the Home Office Fifth Report on the Work of the Children's Branch, published last nonth.
His slighting reference to the work of the Probation Officers will find little response throughout the country. These Officers exercise very great influence upon the boys and girls, and their reports keep the magistrates informed of successes with occasional lapses of the probationers. In the Directory of Probation Officers, Home Office Schools, Probation Homes and Hostels and Borstal Institutions, 1937, it is stated : " Where the services of probation officers are utilised the number of offenders who reappearbeforithe Courts during their period of probation is very small, not exceeding on the average five or ten per cent."
Mr. Percival regrets that he cannot order the birch. He clings to the discredited ideas of punishment and deterrence. Why is he the chairman of a Children's Court if he has so little faith in the principles embodied in the Chi:dren and Young Persons Act ?—Yours faithfully, S. GILFORD,
Chairman, Reading Juvenile Court.
Previous page
