[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 22 (Thursday, February 26, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E259-E260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE 101ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE JUVENILE COURTS IN CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DOUG OSE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 26, 2004

  Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 101st anniversary of 
the Juvenile Courts in California. As a result of the tireless efforts 
of the California Federation of Women's Clubs (CFWC), a bill was passed 
and signed into law by Governor George C. Pardee establishing the 
California juvenile court system on February 26, 1903. California 
became the seventh state to establish a juvenile court system with the 
first courts in San Francisco and Los Angeles--only 4 years after the 
nation's first juvenile court began in Chicago, Illinois.

[[Page E260]]

  Until the 19th century, children were confined and punished according 
to the standards established by criminal courts--adults and juveniles, 
men and women, sane and insane criminals were treated the same. CFWC 
fought to establish a system that would consider that children may have 
less than fully developed moral and cognitive capacities. The CFWC's 
umbrella organization, the General Foundation for Women's Clubs 
established 75 percent of the nation's libraries and was the national 
model for juvenile courts upon which California's system is based.
  The California Federation of Women's Clubs, chartered in 1900, sought 
legislation to create a separate court system for juveniles based on 
the understanding that children are inherently different from adults 
and that the state has a certain responsibility to protect and 
rehabilitate young offenders. Juvenile courts provide rehabilitation 
and benevolent supervision based on the concept of parens patriae (the 
State as Parent), allowing the state to intervene in the interest of 
protecting the child. The focus of the juvenile court was on the 
offender, not on the offense, on rehabilitation, not punishment.
  Because of the actions of the CFWC, criminal cases involving 
individuals under the age of eighteen began to be adjudicated in a 
juvenile court. The CFWC also funded the courts until the courts were 
included in the State budget. This system allowed courts to provide a 
standard procedure for processing the crimes committed by juvenile 
offenders while paying additional attention to the special needs and 
circumstances of children. Over the years juvenile courts have evolved 
to more closely resemble the criminal justice system.
  Today the CFWC continues to work for adequate programs of probation 
and rehabilitative services in humane facilities for children. In 
addition to creating the Juvenile Courts of California, CFWC members 
strive to promote education, literacy, healthy lifestyles, preservation 
of natural resources, crime prevention, art appreciation and increased 
international understanding. The organization contributes an average of 
4 million volunteer hours and $3 million on 25,000 projects annually.
  The California Federation of Women's Clubs is a non-profit, 
charitable organization that was organized in January 1900, becoming 
the thirty-seventh state to join the General Federation of Women's 
Clubs--which is one of the largest and oldest volunteer organizations 
in the world. ``Strength United is Stronger'' was chosen as the motto 
and still holds true today as the Clubs working together make a 
difference throughout the world.

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