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Show bu I nniVl bUUn I GET HOf START Defendants Given Every Aid and Encouragement in Leading Better Life By Lorry A. Jacobs. N. E. A. Staff Correspondent. NEW YORK. May 6 Practically every ev-ery device known as an aid to justice, mercy and lav is being used in the women's separate day court of New York City, presided over by Judge Jean Norris. The latest, innovation of the court is the establishment of a psychiatrist who passes on the mental status of women who come before the court when the judge is in doubt as to their menial capacity. An examination showshat the wom en's court, before her plea of protecting protect-ing the rights of defendants in spite of tho recent attack on the court made by Mrs. Hortense Lersner, who claimed claim-ed that women were being railroaded through the court without having a chance for defense. I The procedure of the court is "differ-' "differ-' cnt from that of the ordinary munici-: munici-: pal court into -which women of the streets are haled. . - Girl Givon Choice. "When a girl Is brought Into the women's wo-men's court, before her plea of "guilty" "guil-ty" or "not guilty," is taken, she is given an opportunity to secure counsel coun-sel if she wishes, to get bail, to communicate com-municate free of charge by telephone or otherwise with her friends or she Is given the option of an immediate trial or an adjournment suiting her convenience. After a girl's case Is heard,, and if she is convicted, Judge Norris has one of several options. If the girl is a first or sometimes a second offender, she is placed , on probation for six months and allowed to go home. If she is suffering from vencral disease she is sent to the hospital for treatment treat-ment beforo being sent home. If she is not what is termed a "probation" case, then she is sent to the House of Good Shepherd or lnwood house. More hardened offenders aro sent to thy prison on Blackwell's island. The drug addicts are also sent to the hospital for eight weeks' treatmeuL "1 do not believe that any woman who is arrested for prostitution and who is a drug addict, is entirely responsible re-sponsible for her act," says Judge Norris. Nor-ris. "It would be inhumane to try them when they are arraigned, and it is the policy of the court to adjouru the case for eight weeks and in the meantime give the girl the very best possible care at our hospital before she goes to trial. It is astonishing the difference in the appearance of the girls when thev return from the hospital after treatment. They arc then mentally and physically fit to be tried. "Follow-Ups." A broad system of probation and "follow up" work is being instituted. Girls are being sent back to their homes all over the United States and reunited with their families. In other cases where the environment is wrong, efforts are made to have parents move, change the girl's employment, or get. her away from bad companionship. Probation officers go out and check up the statements the girls make to them. Judge Norris said that "notwithstanding "notwith-standing the outrageous statement made recently In tho public press by a woman, Mrs. Hortense Lersner, that I was railroading women to Bedford reformatory, re-formatory, I have never committed one single girl to Bedford since I went on the bench in October of last year; and the court records will show that I place the largest percentage of girls on probation. 1 am not at all in sympathy sym-pathy vdth reformatory methods." In the past two months a number of men, arrested with women charged with prostitution, and have received prison sentences. The time has come when women will not do all the legal paying for commercialized vice." oo |