and reporting progress
to the central office, which has to decide whether the period of
probation is sufficient, or, in cases where it has not been efficacious,
to have recourse to sterner measures.

The only drawback to this system is the difficulty of applying it,
because it is not always possible to find in every town a number of
persons of high moral standing, who are able and willing to exercise
vigilance over offenders. However, to the honour of the United States
it must be said that in many States this supervision is organised in a
truly admirable manner. At Boston I visited the Probation Office
organised and managed by Miss Mary Dewson, which undertakes the
supervision of girls and is a model worthy of imitation from the general
arrangement down to the smallest details.

The relations between the officers and their charges are in most cases
very cordial. The little girls write most affectionate letters, in which
they narrate their joys and sorrows, express penitence for their
shortcomings and ask advice and help as of guardian spirits. The
officers in their turn show themselves to be affectionate protectors and
are scrupulous in the fulfilment of their duties towards the central
office. Upwards of one hundred lockers were opened at my request, and I
was able to examine the documents relating to each of the children with
their antecedents, improvement, or the reverse, methodically entered up
to a few days previous to my visit.

The splendid results obtained everywhere by this system are leading to
its gradual adoption in nearly all the States of the Union and in many
parts of Australia and England, in dealing with young people, adults,
and all first offenders convicted of petty infractions of the law,
drunkenness, disturbance of the peace, and disorderly conduct, and also
for prisoners released on ticket-of-leave. The probationer is obliged to
report himself every fortnight, or at any time the probation officer may
desire. The officer is empowered to supervise the conduct of the
probationer at home and in his place of employment, and to threaten him
with legal proceedings should his conduct be unsatisfactory.

The supervision of adults, as may be supposed, is a far more delicate
and complicated matter than that of children, and however discreetly the
officer proceeds in order to keep the matter hidden from neighbours and
employers, the position is such a humiliating one for adults that many
prefer imprisonmen