JUVENILE OFFENDERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 71, 17 December 1920, Page 7

JUVENILE OFFENDERS

(To tho Editor.)

Sir,—ln connection with the recent conviction of a largo number of boys'for theft, it is worth noting that in October, 1919, on the motion of Mr. It. A. Wright. M.P., a return was ordered to bo furpished to the Housa showing; "(1) The "lumber of j'uvoniles convicted under the 3 uveifile Offenders Act and sent to an induatrial school in each of tho four cities, vear by year, 6inco the said Act came into force: and ,tho number of juveniles tried ijader tho «amo Act whoso cases were adjourned and the offender placed oji_probation or under tho supervision of the probation officer; (2) tho liko infprmatio.l in respect of each of the provinces, excluding the four cities; and (3) a tabular statement setting forth in respect of each city and province the nature of tlw offence in respect of whioh euch convictions, committals, or adjournments respectively have been made." , , ... This return not having been laid on the table of the House within a ronsonabla time after the commencement of the veccnt session, Mr. Wright, on September 20 last, put a question on tho subject to tho Minister of Justice, who stated that'll could not bo furnished m the exact form nsked. Assuming that it was afterwards produced, will Mr Wright kindly sav whe£Kor it was. printed, and if it was not, can ho give tho figures supplied under liendi-il) ami (2), limited to cases of theft? Some vears ago I saw some official figures on the subject, and I confess that I. was rather stnggorod by them.-I am, «to„ '•'_,.„,__! INQUIRER Dtctmbor 10, IWO.