Juvenile Detention Home of Children's Court

The origins of Family Court date back to February 1900. Many citizens in Buffalo felt that harsh and cruel punishment of juvenile offenders was not the way to deal with these children. In response to this concern, the Community Organization Society organized a committee of probations officers and appealed to police justice, Thomas Murphy. The Society requested to have separate trials for children and they felt the best way to deal with these young offenders was to be proactive and provide rehabilitation measures.

In 1901, Thomas Murphy, now a judge, opened the first children's court in a room of the County Agency for Destitute Children. The Children's Court served as a model throughout New York State. The Children's Court was a branch of the Buffalo City Court with its own probation department. The probation officers were initially volunteers. Although the court proceedings were separated from the adults, children were still detained with adults at the station house.

The Detention Home dates back to February 1907, prior to the establishment of a special children's court. It was located at 13 Park Street. During the first week, the detention home cared for twenty prisoners and alleviated the police from confining the children at the station house.

Then in 1909, Judge Nash of the Buffalo City Court established the Domestic Relations Court. Judge Nash eliminated public hearings in this Court. He felt matters of this type should be kept private to prevent scandal and embarrassment of those involved. The Domestic Relations Court was also a branch of the Buffalo City Court.

The Detention Home moved to a city-owned residence at 44 Breckenridge Street, between Niagara Street and the Canal in 1909. The grounds consisted of one building with the capacity of forty inmates. The Detention Home had a combined music room and library. The girls dormitory was on the second floor.

The public's general view of the Home was unfavorable. The citizens considered it a "pen" for bad children awaiting sentencing. This was quite the contrary. Many of the children placed, especially the girls, were due to the improper guardianship or other situations beyond his or her control. The boys were mostly travelers, truants, and petty thieves trying to sustain their lives.

Children under the age of sixteen and of any color within limits of Buffalo, were admitted by arrest or at order of the judge or chief probation officer in the Children's Court of Buffalo. It was understood children were to be brought immediately to the Home after arrest. They were then detained pending a hearing or trial, and then may be committed for a period not to exceed thirty days. The dining room was cleared out twice a week and used for hearings. If a child was not committed, he or she could be place on probation by the judge for a time period of no longer than three years.

Discharge of a child was dependent on the judge's decision. In the event of a runaway, from outside of Buffalo, the child was turned over to parent or guardian. After-care sometimes involved probation or institutional care. Generally, the girls were kept longer than boys. the girls were taught housekeeping detail and they cleaned the Home three days per week. They also received sewing instruction three days a week. Boys were taught to care for themselves and their clothing.

The detention home employed eight staff and the children were expected to help with the housework.

Boys received schooling in the morning and girls in the afternoon. Education guidelines were provided by the Department of Public Instruction. Visiting hours were Thursdays and Sundays from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm.

On January 12, 1912, the New Children's Court of Buffalo was established under a special act of legislature. This Children's Court was of its entity, and not part of the Buffalo City Court System. The Children's Court had jurisdiction of two divisions. One division dealt with children under the age of sixteen. These minors were charged with violation of any city ordinance against adults. The other division dealt with adults charged contributing to violations against children under the age of sixteen. The first judge was George E. Judge.

The adult division was located at 71 West Eagle Street. The Juvenile Detention Home was located at 44 Breckenridge Street. By 1919, the Children's Court had heard 1,127 cases and of those hearings, 369 were placed on probation.

In 1926, Erie County Court was established and also had jurisdiction over youths, creating overlapping services between the city and the county. The Buffalo Council of Social Agencies felt the need to combine the courts, to create one court. The Council moved forward with this need and on April 1, 1931, Governor Roosevelt signed three bills establishing the new County Children's Court and thus, abolishing the City Children's Court. Part of the new legislature, required Children's Court judges to be lawyers; and Judge George E. Judge completed his term in 1931 and was not able for re-election.

The first Erie County Children's Court Judge was elected and served her elected term of six years. Cecil B. Weiner. Under her term, many children were detained in private homes. Buffalo was the only city that used private homes for detention purposes.

Although it has been documented the Detention Home was located relocated to a rented residence at 33 St. John's Place, I have not been able to establish an exact date.

Honorable Victor B. Wyle gala was elected for the next terms, and he served from 1938 until his death in 1959. He was known to adhere to legal norms, achieving a balance between social and judicial functions.

In June 1950, the County acquired the Edward J. Meyer Memorial Hospital (now called Erie County Medical Center) nurse's residence at 770 East Ferry Street. The new facility was to be called the "Boy's Receiving Detention Home". The residence was remodeled with the removal of the sun porch, installation of steel casement windows, new plumbing and wiring, exterior painting, and interior redecorating.

The Children's Court Judge bought into the theory "that a child's first brushes with the law can set the whole pattern of life. He was insistent the new Home not carry the air of an institution, but rather a family-like structure with foster parents providing firmness and understanding. The new Detention Home had no fences or bars, setting it apart from the many others in the area.

Upon arrival, a child was provided with a shower and lunch. After eating, he was allowed to join the others in the living room to participate in the many activities the Home had to offer, such as watching television, listening to the radio, reading, or playing a game. Or he could partake in activities in the craft room that was furnished with work benches, tools, and construction material.

The second floor contained a living room for the foster parents along with their own private sleeping quarters and bathrooms. There was also five bedrooms for the boys, furnished with two beds per room.

Although the exterior looked as escape was easy, it was not. The windows opened outward to only six inches. The bedroom doors could only be locked from the outside, and they each had a glass window for the foster parents to monitor behavior. The outside doors were kept locked at all times.

In September 1962, New York State passed the Family Court Act providing for a unified court system for all of New York State. Erie County Children's Court was terminated under this Act and Family Court was established. Also, the Family Court Act provides a lawyer (Law Guardian) for each child in the Family Court System to act on behalf of the child and for the child's best interests. The Family Court System has jurisdiction over matters dealing with juvenile delinquents, child support, paternity, termination of parental rights, persons in need of supervision, family offenses, and child protecting. Issues regarding separations, divorces, and annulments were and continue to be reserved for Supreme Court.

Youth Detention Services Today

The Youth Detention Services continues to be under the auspices of Erie County and is still located on East Ferry Street. Detention services offered through the Department include residential and non-residential services to youth awaiting final court disposition. The services provide for the safety of the child and the community.

Secure Detention

The secure detention is still located on East Ferry Street. For a short time, the secure unit was temporarily located in Alden while a new 64-bed facility was being built. The new secure unit opened in September 2003. The secure detention provides twenty-four hour supervision, year round to juvenile delinquents or juvenile offenders.

Non-Secure Detention

Non-Secure Detention is provided for Persons In Need of Supervision (PINS) or Juvenile Delinquents. Supervision is provided twenty-four hours a day, year round. Types of non-secure detention arrangements include contracted community group homes and community detention foster homes. Social work and general and mental health services are provided by community agencies.

Alternative Home Services

This court-ordered program allows PINS and JDs to remain at home with the family under the supervision of a Detention Social Worker. The youth agrees to follow the terms of their release and parents/guardian. The adult responsible for the youth reports behaviors and activities, including home, school and community, to the Social Worker. The Social Worker then reports directly to the Family Court Judge.