Better Juvenile Courts A Circular issued by the Home Office
on the election of panels of magistrates for the juvenile courts draws Special attention to the point of age. Quoting Lord Hewart'S opinion that magistrates for these courts should be of parental 'rather than grandfatherly age, it 'indicates 40-60 as a suitable time of life rather than 60+. This undoubtedly is good advice, which we hope will be acted on. So is the Circular's further plea for appointing " a good experienced permanent chairman " to each juvenile court. The success of these courts depends more on the choice of chairman than on anything else ; and not even under the stipendiary regime of the Metropolis is it always well made. It would be a good thing if in London, at all events, the Home Office made these appointments itself, instead of leaving the Chief Magistrate the power that he has. For a Chief Magistrate otherwise capable may often be ill-fitted-to exert influence here ; as anyone who takes up Sir Chartres Biron's recent book and studies its references to Clarke Hall can See for himself.
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