Boy in Court (1940)

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] n [Music] okay gang now look we got a be this way it's just time to block act like nothing was going to happen come on I'll do the driving it's a [Music] [Applause] [Music] s and so another job for the police and the courts Johnny Marvin is now in the hands of the law this is the first time he's been caught but his delinquent Tendencies began long before in the conflicts of an unhappy home and in the hangout of the gang which was his Refuge now what will become of this boy what road lies ahead for this Sullen misguided 15-year-old will he be placed in a Cell for the night herded with drunks and criminals then in the morning paraded in the police lineup will he be fingerprinted photographed given a permanent criminal record at 15 will he be sentenced by a judge who knows nothing of the background of Johnny and his family or the reasons behind his behavior will he grow up in reformatories and prisons to become a bitter and seasoned criminal Johnny and 200,000 other youngsters who are arrested each year are America's number one crime problem can't something be done to help these Twisted young lives and set them straight yes something can be done something is being done many communities believe that good juvenile courts with well organized probation service can make good citizens out of wayward youth fortunately Johnny lives in a community which has such a court after his arrest he does not go to a jail to mingle with adult offenders instead he is taken to a detention home which the community maintains especially for children here he is placed in the care of a house mother and father who have been trained in this work kindly but firmly they proceed to make him comfortable in spite of himself he is given a bath and a pair of clean pajamas he has a good night's rest in a comfortable bed next morning after nourishing breakfast he's ready for a visit to the chief probation officer who handles incoming cases at the Juvenile Court haltingly Johnny tells his story the officer listens attentively and asks questions to bring out all the details then he sends him back to the detention home for a few days and assigns a probation officer to investigate his background why does Johnny behave as he does it is probation officer Benton's job to find out first he makes a trip to Johnny's neighborhood a visit to Johnny's World of squalled Homes dirt and confusion here in the rear of a house typical of the neighborhood is where the Marvin live Benton finds Mrs Marvin and has a long talk with her he learns that Johnny's father is dead that she earns a little each week as a cleaning woman and finds the task of raising her family too much for her the boy was fond of his father but he Rebels against his tired nagging mother who finds it impossible to control him he stays out late prefers the gang to home Benton investigates the gang because he's concerned about these boys too but he finds them suspicious and distrustful unwilling to tell him anything about Johnny he also has a talk with Johnny's teacher he learns that though bright and popular with his classmates the boy has a long record of treny and poor schoolwork meanwhile Johnny is sent to the clinic where he is given a thorough physical examination psychological tests reveal Johnny's special tudes as well as some of the probable reasons for his school failures the probation officer's efforts to persuade Johnny himself to talk meet with some degree of success he readily admits all the facts of his offense but he's still distrustful of any efforts to help him then Donny goes before the judge in a good juvenile court this is not a trial but a quiet hearing conducted in a small room only Johnny his mother and the probation officer are present the judge has studied the reports of the probation officer the doctor and the psychologist and after talking with Johnny Mrs Marvin and Mr Benton he reaches a decision well Johnny you're in a pretty serious situation this isn't the first time you've stolen things I can send you to the industrial school till you're 21 you know that you but I don't want to do that but we believe your mother and Mr Benton and I that you can make good without being sent away so I'm going to put you on probation Mr Benton will be your friend and supervisor now we are going to help you all we can but it's really your job will you try good Mr Benton I want to know from time to time how Johnny gets along and so Johnny is placed in the hands of a probation officer a trained caseworker to whom the boy's problems are a challenge the first step in planning for the boy's future is to become acquainted with him to find out about his interests his Ambitions his feelings about himself at the same time he begins to win the boy's respect and friendship he must find a way to change Johnny's attitudes to make him want to do the things which will bring him greater satisfaction than he has found in misbehaving Benton has a talk with Johnny's mother helps her to understand the needs of an adolescent boy he asks the welfare agency to give financial help and assist Mrs morvin in making the home more attractive for her children as the month pass Benton sees Johnny frequently sometimes at the community swimming pool Johnny loves to swim in the winter Mr Benton persuades him to go out for the school basketball team and he is successful in getting him to go to church again sometimes they meet at Johnny's home where his willingness to help his mother is evidence of a new sense of responsibility discovering that Johnny's greatest interest is airplanes Mr Benton arranges with a friend of his who is a pilot to have Johnny meet him at the Flying Field it was a never to be forgotten experience for the boy he was actually able to sit in a plane and have a real pilot tell him about the controls Benton uses Johnny's desire to be an aviator to persuade the boy to better his schoolwork for a pilot must have at least a high school education he introduces Johnny to the public library where the boy devours books books on Aviation and to the boys club where he learns to build a model airplane in the club shop this is fun fascinating Johnny has found a new world and ambition the Gang has forgotten he's looking ahead to the things he really wants intelligent and friendly guidance has accomplished what mere punishment could never do after a year on probation Johnny is again brought before the judge well Johnny Mr Bon tells me you don't need probation anymore you've made good I guess you won't steal any more automobiles will you see that was dumb wasn't it it certainly was but we're all very proud of you now Johnny and I want to congratulate you and so Johnny's probation is successful his case is typical of the everyday achievements of good Juvenile Courts proper facilities a judge who understands children and carefully chosen probation officers can achieve the same results in any community