Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1903 — Children in the Jails. [ARTICLE]

Children in the Jails.

Secretary Butler, of the Boarc of State Charities, is continuing his efforts to oompel all sheriffs to observe the law in the caring for jails. Several days ago Mr. Butler pointed out that tramps were taken at jails in violation of the laws. He is again prodding some of the sheriffs, and this time it is for permitting ohildren under fourteen years to be confined in the jails. The last Legislature passed an aot prohibiting the imprisonment of ohildren under fourteen in any jail, police station or any other kind of a look-up Provision can be made for the oare of such ohildren as fall into the sheriff’s hands at one of the children’s homes, with the Board of Guardians, where one exists, or they may be taken into the home of the sheriff

or of some family of the neighborhood. Reports from seventeen counties Bhowed the presence of minors in ;he custody of sheriffs. Mr. Butler says some of these children were undoubtedly taken of as the law contemplates, but he mows of places where the jails were used as their place of confinement.