that the appointment of judges to the Children's Court must be from judges of the Court of Special Sessions. The separation of the court and the organization of its work for the entire city, the appointment of an additional judge and the provision in the budget for 1916 of a chief probation officer and two deputy chief probation officers, augur well for the increased efficiency of probation work in the greatest Children's Court in the world. Fire new probation officers were added to the court during 1915, making a total of forty-one probation officers. All probation cases and most of the preliminary investigations are handled by the salaried officers of the court. In the fall of 1915 the Manhattan Children's Court moved into its beautiful and commodious new building on 22d Street of which we show illustration herewith. It is a model children's court building, of which the city and State of New York may well be proud. Court of Special Sessions At the request of the judges of the Probation Committee, a careful investigation of the probation work in the various parts of this court was made in the fall of 1915, and recommendations submitted. The Commission has recommended that the probation officers be not required to remain in the courts to make personal reports, believing that if freed from this duty they will have much more time for outside work. It has made a number of other recommendations, some of which have been followed by the judges. There is a lack of effective supervision and co-ordination of the work of the officers in this court. Court of General Sessions For several years the Commission has urged the judges of this court to request provision for regular salaried probation officers. After investigating the work, recommendations were sent to all the judges. After several hearings before committees of the Board of Estimate, action was taken by that body, providing salaries for nine probation officers and a chief probation officer to be appointed under civil service. We have taken the matter up repeatedly with the judges, and as this report goes to press the matter has not been finally adjusted, nor the new officers appointed. CASE TEING HEARD IN THE MAIN COURT-ROOM. FIRST HEARINGS ARE HELD HERE. WAITING-ROOM SEEN AT THE RIGHT. HEARING BEFORE JUDGE HOYT IN THE SMALL SECOND COURT-ROOM. AD JOURNED CASES ARE HELD HERE. USUALLY ONLY THE JUDGE, THE PROBATION OFFICER RECEIVING REPORT FROM PROBATIONER. MOST CHILDREN GENERAL PROBATION OFFICE AND CENTRAL BUREAU OF RECORDS SHOWING |