Number Of Children Und?r 16 Illegally Held In Jail Decreases By A. LAURANCE AYDLETT The number of children under 16 years of age illegally held in jail has shown a continual decline during the past 10 years, chiefly because of the efforts of the State Board of Public Welfare in cooperation with local law enforce ment and governing officials and county departments of public wel fare in finding other methods of handling youthful delinquents. From a high of 1,231 children reported by 83 counties in 1936. the total recorded in the fiscal year 1946-47 had dropped to 325 reported by 92 counties. The re porting counties are listed as the average number reporting monthly during the year since the statutes provide that units of local govern ment must file jail records with the State welfare agency. Welfare officials said this wejk that they expected the current year to show an average of 96 counties reporting monthy, but, of course, could not predict the total number of children that would be confined temporarily in the county jails until other provisions could be made for them. It is hoped that the downward trend of recent years will be continued. That portion of North Carolina's child welfare laws which sets up special courts before which deli quent boys and girls are given in formal hearings by a juvenile judge expressly declares that no child coming within the provisions of the article shall be placed in any jail, lockup, or other place where he may come in contact with adult criminals. ? Segregation From Adults Required ? This Section 110-30 of the Gene ral Statutes has been construed by the States attorney general to mean that a child under 16 years of age cannot spend even a short TRY POST-WAR "FASTER ACTING" 666 OH Rei.cve aches and "sleep robbing" Miseriei cf Cc!ds fast with lt>6 ( tablets Of liquid) Cau?>o? Us* #?l? 01 i time in a place where older law breakers re confined if there is any possilility of contact between the two. Furthei than that, the attorney general Us declared that law en forcemen officials who confine children .n such places are them , selves \ lating the law. Because many c< ities do not have modern , facilitie tor temporarily holding I thildr. until final disposition, made o their problems, some county t/fficials in the past have disregarded this construction of the statute Welfare officials, both State and county, have recommended so cialized boarding homes or deten tic homes where young offenders c? be leld for a short time. Sevr n. c?-: imunities have made such P' >vis hi for care of these boys i gills and are finding that the l'ort. and money going into clopment of such facilities >een more than repaid by >rovement in the behavior itudes of the children, philosophy of North Caro ivcnile court law is that i are not criminals but do <i' delinquent tendencies ! i many unwholesome condi tions in their daily lives. Thus they should not be treated as criminals Imt rather as boys and girls who "will behave better if given proper training and supervision and it the community provides resources to meet their special needs. Under this phiosophy the hear ings of young delinquents before the juvenile court set up in each county and before the special ciiy juvenile courts in many communi ties are not open to the public and are conducted in a manner far ved from normal court trials Decline During Wartime ? V th juvenile court officials and j lo< i law enforcement officers co oj mating in bettering the juvenile i ('? i-iquency situation, the decline ir 'he number of children jailed i inued even during the war '\ii s when, in many instances, bi i parents were away from ? ne many hours a day. ounties that reported no child IP i?u \Jv* s ? ' And Beit Withe! f he Merriest Kind of Q Holiday idoion to All F. H. BYERS General Store Culberson, N. C. now! Half-price Sale! ONCE-A-YEAR SPECIAL Wind and Weather Lotion NOW FOt a LIMITED TIME buy the *1 size for only > BUY THE *2 SlZf FOR ONtY $1 buy tho Economy Carton (?fx $1 ?!*? boMl#?) for only $3 50* m T-rr-fi 4 Guards against chapping ^ Soothe > 'kin roughness 4 Perfect as foundation base 4 Helps protect skin from head to heels BUY NOW AND SAVE! MAITNEY DRUG COMPANY Phone 151 Murphy, N. C. ren under 16 years of age held in jail during the 12 months ending last June 30 at the close of the fiscal year 1946-47 were: Ala mance. Alexander. Alleghany. Ashe. Avery. Beaufort, Berti?. | Camden, Carteret, Chatham Cherokee, Cleveland. Currituck. Dart. Duplin. Gates. Harnett, Hav twood. Hoke. Hyde. Jackson. Mont gomery, Moore, Orufi, Pamlieo, Pasquotank. Rockingham, Samp Cash for Black Walnuts HI LLED AND DRY ?V. C. Walters and Co. MURPHY, N. C. PIMPLES DON'T SQUEEZE THEMI Instead brush on .<LEEREX and see how amazingly fast it aides ugly pimples as it dries them ? often on first trial. Not a greasy salve that pimples thrive on, but a soothing medicated liquid that relieves itching ? drives redness out. Ask for KLEEREX at all druggists. ^Q# Double your money back if it fails "f son, Stokes. Swain, Tyrrell,' Union, and Washington. The remaining 66 counties re- j ported from one to as many as 19' children placed in jail. Not includ- j ed in this picture, however, ire i the city jails and local lockups | which, as yet. do not make such I reports to the State welfare agen cy. How many children of less | than 16 are paced for a few hours I | in these places is not known The State's juvenile court law gives the juvenile courts brojd authority in handling cases of I delinquency. The occasional ins- 1 . tances in which c h i 1 d r e n ire | charged with felonies ? crimes j carrying, upon conviction, a sen- j j U nee of 10 years or more in the , State prison ? are outside the final jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Often, however, preliminary hear- ! ings are held by the court in these ' instances before the c h i 1 d is 1 brougt into the Superior court for criminal trial. Dispositions by the juvenile court in children's cases may be modified at any time and court and welfare officials try to watch with care the progress of every delinquent in an effort at redirect ing his behavior toward socially accepted patterns. In urging further development of specialized boarding home faci lities for delinquent children, Dr. Ellen Winston, commissioner of public welfare, pointed to the Su preme Court decisions in which the juvenile court law is involved. As long ago as 1920 the Court declared that "no child dealt with under the provisions of the act shall be placed in any penal ins titution or other place where they may come in contact, at any time or manner, with adults convicted of crime or charged with it." I Giving Ions life to harness is ! simple. All that is necessary is to \ keep it clean and well oiled wi'h I a good harness oil. "" It's Christmas May yours be a merry one and the New Year he filled with joy and happiness in return for your thoughtfulness to this organization. MERRY CHRISTMAS AM) A HAPPY tXF.U ' YEAR PEOPLE'S CAFE Murphy, North Carolina To our friends . . . one and all ... go our sincerest and best wishes for the best Yule tide ever. May heclth . . . happiness . . . good cheer . . . and the best of everything be yours. And with the coming of 1948 . . . may the new year bring you success and as many joys as there are Christmas lights on your tree. While the carolers sing of "Peace on Earth ? Good Will Toward Man" let the spirit of Christmas glow with an abundance ol good things and happy memories. Southern Lumber & Mfg. Co. Appalachian Oak Flooring & Hardwood Corp. Ellijay, Georgia

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