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American Law Institute Criminal Justice Youth Committee records

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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]3460 Chestnut Street, Biddle Law Library, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3406

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
ALI.04.024
Repository:
University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library
Extent:
4 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of item], in the Criminal Justice--Youth Committee Records, American Law Institute Archives, ALI.04.024, Biddle Law Library, University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Date:
1935-1959 (inclusive)
Creator:
American Law Institute
Abstract:
In 1938, the American Law Institute (ALI) formed the Criminal Justice--Youth Committee to review the findings of a New York City study of criminal behavior among young people called "Youth in the Toils." The culmination of the committee's work was the Model Youth Correction Authority Act, a model act that favored the integration of a number of youth treatment processes already employed by various states. The committee also proposed the creation of a Youth Authority, a state-wide panel that would handle sentencing guidelines, with an emphasis on treatment and not punishment, for all underage criminal offenders. Following the Model Youth Corrections Authority Act's promulgation in 1940, the ALI appointed a special adviser, John R. Ellingston, to help states adopt Youth Authority legislation. This outreach effort was known as the Youth Authority Program. The Youth Authority Program lasted until 1951. The collection, 1935-1959, includes background information, correspondence, meeting minutes, drafts, comments, memoranda, reports, publications, and related material regarding the drafting of the Model Youth Correction Authority Act, adopted by the ALI in 1940, and the Youth Authority Program, an initiative that encouraged state adoption of the Youth Authority legislation.

In 1938, the American Law Institute (ALI) formed the Criminal Justice--Youth Committee to review the findings of a New York City study of criminal behavior among minors called "

Youth in the Toils." The culmination of the committee's work was the Model Youth Correction Authority Act (also known as the "Youth Correction Authority Act" and the "Youth Court Act"), a model act that favored the integration of a number of youth treatment processes already employed by various states. The committee also proposed the creation of a Youth Authority, a state-wide panel that would handle sentencing guidelines, with an emphasis on treatment and not punishment, for all underagecriminal offenders.

The Model Youth Correction Authority Act was adopted by the ALI in 1940. Following its promulgation, the ALI appointed a special adviser, John R. Ellingston, to help states adopt Youth Authority legislation. This outreach effort was known as the Youth Authority Program. The Youth Authority Program lasted until 1951.

The Criminal Justice--Youth Committee Records, 1935-1959, include background information, correspondence, meeting minutes, drafts, comments, memoranda, reports, publications, and related records regarding the drafting of the Model Youth Correction Authority Act, adopted by the ALI in 1940, and the Youth Authority Program, an initiative that encouraged state adoption of Youth Authority legislation.

    Arrangement
  1. Biographical Records About Project Members
  2. Fundraising Records
  3. Correspondence
  4. Meeting Records
  5. Drafts, Comments, and Related Records
  6. Publications

Throughout this collection, researchers should note the following abbreviations when examining the collection: "PD" stands for Preliminary Draft "TD" stands for Tentative Draft "CD" stands for Council Draft

First shipment received from the American Law Institute in 1995.

An item-level container list is available offline in spreadsheet form.

Preliminary container list prepared by Melissa Backes, 1995-2005.

Processed and encoded by Jordon Steele, May 2008.

Subject

Publisher
University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library
Finding Aid Author
Jordon Steele
Finding Aid Date
2008
Access Restrictions

None.

Use Restrictions

The archives reserves the right to restrict access to material of sensitive nature. Please contact the department for further information.

Collection Inventory

Scope and Contents note

A committee roster and page-length biographies of committee members and Youth Authority Program Special Adviser John Ellingston.

General Physical Description note

About 10 items

Basic data-biographical material on members, etc.
Box 1 Box Folder 1
Biographical data on John R. Ellingston.
Box 1 Box Folder 2

Scope and Contents note

A report prepared by William Draper Lewis that estimates the cost for the proposed project and a statement from the American Law Institute's Executive Committee that proposes the project to the Rockefeller Foundation.

Physical Description

2 items

1935 Cost estimates and explanations of the proposed work on criminal justice. Prepared by the director., 1935 October 15.
Box 1 Box Folder 3
1935 Statement of the executive committee of the council to the Rockefeller Foundation in respect to the work in the field of criminal justice which the institute is desirous of undertaking., 1935 October 15.
Box 1 Box Folder 4

Scope and Contents note

Primarily letters and related records sent to American Law Institute members during the activity of the Youth Authority Program.

General Physical Description note

About 1500 items

1941 State bills. Illinois., 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 5
1941 State bills. Kansas., 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 6
1941 State bills. Maryland., 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 7
1940-1943 State bills. Michigan., 1940-1943.
Box 1 Box Folder 8
1941 State bills. Missouri., 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 9
1942 State bills. New Jersey., 1942.
Box 1 Box Folder 10
1940-1944 State bills. New York. (2 folders)., 1940-1944.
Box 1 Box Folder 12-13
1942-1944 State bills.Ohio., 1942-1944.
Box 1 Box Folder 14
1940-1942 State bills. Pennsylvania., 1940-1942.
Box 1 Box Folder 15
1940-1944 State bills. Rhode Island., 1940-1944.
Box 1 Box Folder 16
1940 State bills. Texas., 1940.
Box 1 Box Folder 17
1941 State bills. Virginia., 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 18
1941 State bills. Washington., 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 19
1941 State bills. Wisconsin., 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 20
1942 State bills. Massachusetts., 1942.
Box 1 Box Folder 21
1939 William Draper Lewis with Leon T. Stern, secretary, PA committee on penal affairs., 1939.
Box 1 Box Folder 22
1939 Miscellaneous memoranda, 1939.
Box 1 Box Folder 23
1939 Raymond Rich, 1939.
Box 1 Box Folder 24
1939-1940 General correspondence, 1939-1940.
Box 1
1939-1940 Department of justice, 1939-1940.
Box 1 Box Folder 25
1940 Consultants, 1940.
Box 1 Box Folder 26
1940 Public relations, 1940.
Box 1 Box Folder 27
1940 Fundraising, 1940.
Box 1 Box Folder 28
1940 General, 1940.
Box 1 Box Folder 29
1941 National Probation Association, 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 30
1941 Fundraising-Samuel Fells Fund, 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 31
1941 Youth court act, 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 32
1941 General, 1941.
Box 1 Box Folder 33
1941 Responses to Charles L. Chute, executive director, National Probation Association., 1941 February 20.
Box 1 Box Folder 34
1941-1942 John D. Rockefeller, III., 1941-1942.
Box 1 Box Folder 35
1941-1943 Insureance executives, 1941-1943.
Box 1 Box Folder 36
1942-1943 Inter office correspondence, 1942-1943.
Box 1 Box Folder 37
1942-1945 General, 1942-1945.
Box 1 Box Folder 38
1942-1948 Fundraising, 1942-1948.
Box 1 Box Folder 39
1944 Fundraising. Material to be appended to application sent to John D. Rockefeller, III., 1944.
Box 1 Box Folder 40
1947 Fundraising, 1947.
Box 2 Box Folder 1
1947 General correspondence and clippings, 1947.
Box 2 Box Folder 2
1947 General correspondence and clippings, 1947.
Box 2 Box Folder 3
1947-1951 General, 1947-1951.
Box 2 Box Folder 4
1948 Letter to the executive committee from William Draper Lewis, 1948.
Box 2 Box Folder 5-6
1948 Fundraising-The Grant Foundation., 1948.
Box 2 Box Folder 7
1948-1950 Correspondence with commissioners, 1948-1950.
Box 2 Box Folder 8
1949-1950 Fundraising, 1949-1950.
Box 2 Box Folder 9
1951 Committee members, 1951.
Box 2 Box Folder 10
1951 Letter from John R. Elllingston to Timothy N. Pfeiffer., 1951.
Box 2 Box Folder 11
1951 List of the members of the advisory committee for the criminal law project., 1951 May 24.
Box 2 Box Folder 12
1953 Fundraising-final reports, 1953.
Box 2 Box Folder 13
1958-1959 General, 1958-1959.
Box 2 Box Folder 14
1950 Letter to the council from Herbert F. Goodrich, 1950 March 15.
Box 2 Box Folder 15
1940-1943 Individuals. To be used in field work., 1940-1943.
Box 2 Box Folder 16

Scope and Contents note

Minutes and reports from meetings of the Criminal Justice--Youth Committee and other American Law Institute meetings.

General Physical Description note

About 35 items

1938 Conference held at Northeast Harbor, Maine. Draft discussed: (Tentative Draft no. 11)., 1938 August 25-27.
Box 2 Box Folder 17
1938 Conference held at the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Draft discussed: TD no. 2., 1938 October 14-16.
Box 2 Box Folder 18
1938 Conference held at Philadelphia, PA. Draft discussed: TD no. 3., 1938 November 11-13.
Box 2 Box Folder 19
1938 Conference held at Philadelphia. Draft discussed: TD no. 4., 1938 December 9-11.
Box 2 Box Folder 20
1939 Conference held in New York City. Draft discussed: sketch plan for a youth court. (TD no. 6)., 1939 January 27-28.
Box 2 Box Folder 21
1939 Conference held at the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Draft discusses: first TD of entire youth court plan., 1939 March 16-19.
Box 2 Box Folder 22
1939 Meeting held at Skytop, PA. Draft no. 14 discussed., 1939 June 6-8.
Box 2 Box Folder 23
1940 Conference held at New York City. Draft discussed: PD no. 19., 1940 January 12-14.
Box 2 Box Folder 24
1940 Conference held at New York City. Draft discussed: PD no. 19., 1940 January 12-14.
Box 2 Box Folder 25
1940 Meeting held at the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Draft discussed: no. 23., 1940 February 1-3.
Box 2 Box Folder 26
1949 Reports for submission to the meeting of the council. By John R. Ellingston and Herbert F. Goodrich., 1949 March 16-18.
Box 2 Box Folder 27
1951 Special meeting of the advisory committee, 1951 June 15.
Box 2 Box Folder 28

Scope and Contents note

Drafts, memoranda, comments from consultants and advisers, reports from prior crime-related codification projects, correspondence, and related material reflecting the work of the Criminal Justice--Youth Committee on projects including the Model Youth Correction Authority Act, adopted by the American Law Institute in 1940, and the subsequently commissioned Youth Authority Program.

General Physical Description note

About 230 items

1938 Tentative Draft no. 1. Statutory tenatives and addenda. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1938.
Box 2 Box Folder 29
1938 TD no. 2. Prepared by John B. Waite, 1938 October 4.
Box 2 Box Folder 30
1938 TD no. 3. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1938.
Box 2 Box Folder 31
1938 TD no. 4. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1938 November 30.
Box 2 Box Folder 32
1938 Alternative draft no. 4. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1938 November 30.
Box 2 Box Folder 33
1938 Commentary on TD no. 4. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1938 November 30.
Box 2 Box Folder 34
1938 Draft no. 5-temporarily final. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1938 December 21.
Box 2 Box Folder 35
1939 Draft no. 6. Sketch plan for a youth court, by John B. Waite. , 1939 January 10.
Box 2 Box Folder 36
1939 Draft no. 7. First tentative draft on entire youth court plan. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1939 February 24.
Box 2 Box Folder 37
1939 Draft no. 8. The criminality of youth-a statistical investigation, by Thorsten Sellin. , 1939 March 13.
Box 3 Box Folder 1
1939 Draft no. 9. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1939 April 5.
Box 3 Box Folder 2
1939 Draft no. 10. Memorandum regarding the constitutionality of a youth court to be established in a single county or city., 1939 April 5.
Box 3 Box Folder 3
1939 Draft no. 11. A youth court of special personnel and localized jurisdiction correlated to a state-wide treatment scheme. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1939 April 11.
Box 3 Box Folder 4
1939 Draft no. 12. A statistical survey of recidivism and an analysis of its implications so far as the youth group is concerned, by Thorsten Sellin., 1939.
Box 3 Box Folder 5
1939 Draft no. 13. Supplement 1 to report on the criminality of youth-a statistical investigation, by Thorsten Sellin., 1939 April 18.
Box 3 Box Folder 6
1939 Draft no. 14. Plan for a treatment commission of state-wide jurisdiction to which youths found guilty of crime by any court in the state must be committed. , 1939 May 19.
Box 3 Box Folder 8
1939 Draft no. 15. Plan for a treatment commission and a special youth court operating in conjunction, both of localized jurisdiction. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1939 May 10.
Box 3 Box Folder 7
1939 Draft no. 16. Plan for a treatment board of state-wide jurisdiction to which young persons found guilty of crime by any court in this state are to be committed. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1939.
Box 3 Box Folder 9
1939 Draft no. 17. Alterations suggested in the plan for a treatment board of state-wide jurisdiction, as set up in draft no. 16. Prepared by John B. Waite, reporter., 1939 August 25.
Box 3 Box Folder 10
1939 Draft no. 18. Commentary to accompany the plan for a treatment board of state-wide jurisdiction. Prepared by John B. Waite, reporter., 1939 August 25.
Box 3 Box Folder 11
1939 Preliminary Draft no. 19. An act creating a youth justice authority., 1939 November 10.
Box 3 Box Folder 12
1939 Additional comments of consultants on confidential draft no. 19. No date., 1939.
Box 3 Box Folder 13
1939 Memorandum in re PD no. 19 on an act creating a youth justice authority. By Wm. Draper Lewis., 1939.
Box 3 Box Folder 14
1939 Draft no. 20. A youth court of special personnel and localized jurisdiction correlated to a state-wide treatment act. Prepared by John B. Waite, reporter., 1939 November 8.
Box 3 Box Folder 15
1939 Draft no. 20A. Tentative introduction explanation for the youth court act. Prepared by John B. Waite, reporter., 1939 November 13.
Box 3 Box Folder 16
1939 Draft no. 21. A youth court of special personnel and limited jurisdiction. Prepared by John B. Waite, reporter., 1939 December 8.
Box 3 Box Folder 17
No date. Draft no. 22. Comments of consultants on confidential draft no. 19.
Box 3 Box Folder 19
1940 Draft no. 23. A youth court of special personnel and limited jurisdiction. Prepared by John B. Waite, reporter., 1940 January 9.
Box 3 Box Folder 20
1940 Council draft no. 1. Reporter: John Barker Waite. 6 copies (with comments in margins)., 1940 February 7.
Box 3 Box Folder 21
1940 Council draft no. 2. Reporter: John Barker Waite., 1940 February 12.
Box 3 Box Folder 22
1940 Proposed final draft no. 1. Youth correction authority act. Reporter: John Barker Waite., 1940 April 10.
Box 3 Box Folder 23
1940 Proposed final draft no. 2. April 10, 1940. Youth court act. Reporter: John Barker Waite., 1940 April 10.
Box 3 Box Folder 24
1941 Proposed final draft no. 3. Youth court act. Reporter: John Barker Waite., 1941 April 30.
Box 3 Box Folder 25
1940-1941 Proposed final drafts nos. 1, 2 & 3., 1940-1941.
1940 Official draft. Youth correction authority act. , 1940 June 22.
Box 3 Box Folder 26
1940 Official draft (second printing). Youth correction authority act. , 1940 June 22.
Box 3 Box Folder 27
1941 Official draft. Youth court act. July 15, 1941., 1941 July 15.
Box 3 Box Folder 28
1924 Report to the council by the committee on a survey and statement of the defects in criminal justice. Report no. 6., 1924 November 1.
Box 3 Box Folder 29
1924 Report to the council by Herbert S. Hadley, chairman of the committee on a survey and statement on the defects in criminal justice. Report no. 7., 1924 November 8.
Box 3 Box Folder 30
1925 Report to the council by the committee on a survey and statement of the defects in criminal justice. Report no. 9., 1925 April 1.
Box 3 Box Folder 31
1931 Report of the joint committee on the improvement of criminal justice. Representing the ALI, the AALS, and the section of criminal law and criminology of the ABA., 1931 July 13.
Box 3 Box Folder 32
1934 Report of advisory committee on criminal justice, 1934 December 31.
Box 3 Box Folder 33
1935 Report of the advisory committee on criminal justice to the council, 1935 January 30.
Box 3 Box Folder 34
1938 Note on constitutionality of the statute, by John B. Waite., 1938 November 5.
Box 3 Box Folder 35
1938 The burden on a treatment agency, by Thorsten Sellin. For submission to a conference., 1938 November 11-13.
Box 3 Box Folder 36
1938 Memorandum by William E. Mikell on John B. Waite's collocation "Definitions of activities covered by the statute" and tentative draft of sections of a statute covering such activities., 1938 August 19.
Box 3 Box Folder 37
1938 Report. Advisory committee on criminal justice-youth. , 1938 February 12.
Box 3 Box Folder 38
1938 Memorandum on the English borstal system, by Wm. Healy, M.D. , 1938 September 20.
Box 3 Box Folder 39
1938 Massachusetts figures for offenses and disposition. Report by William Healy. , 1938 October 14-16.
Box 3 Box Folder 40
1938 Comment. Note on constitutionality of the statute by John B. Waite. , 1938 November 5.
Box 3 Box Folder 41
1939 Comment. Sketch plan for a youth court by John B. Waite. For submission to the sub-committee on criminal justice-youth., 1939 January 10.
Box 3 Box Folder 42
1939 Comment. A sample of commentary prepared by John Barker Waite. For submission to the meeting of the subcommittee in New York City., 1939 January 27-29.
Box 3 Box Folder 43
1939 Comment. Memorandum on objectives and procedures by Hal W. Hazelrigg., 1939 March 4.
Box 3 Box Folder 44
1939 Comment. Draft of introductory comment to the state-wide treatment board. Prepared by John B. Waite., 1939 July 11.
Box 3 Box Folder 45
1939 Comment. Modernizing criminal justice to meet youth-crime. Address of Judge Joseph N. Ulman, of the Supreme Court of Baltimore, MD., 1939 October 10.
Box 3 Box Folder 46
1939 New measures for the treatment and control of youthful offenders. Address of Leanard V. Harrison., 1939 October 10.
Box 3 Box Folder 47
1939 The program of the ALI and treatment tribunals. Address by Dr. William Healy. , 1939 December 27.
Box 3 Box Folder 48
1940 Salvaging the young criminal. By John D. Rockefeller, 3rd. Reprinted by permission from the New York Times Magazine., 1940 November 10.
Box 3 Box Folder 49
1940 Youth justice, by Edward R. Cass. Address before the Texas youth-justice conference., 1940 November 19.
Box 3 Box Folder 50
1940 Youth in the Toils. Episodes 1-7. Publicity-radio scripts., 1940.
Box 3 Box Folder 51
1940 Youth in the Toils. Episodes 8-13. Publicity-radio scripts., 1940.
Box 3 Box Folder 52
1940 Materials on revisions of council drafts, 1940.
Box 3 Box Folder 53
1940 Miscellaneous xerox copies, 1940.
Box 3 Box Folder 54
1941 The criminality of youth. By Thorsten Sellin. , 1941 February.
Box 3 Box Folder 55
1941The general assembly of PA senate bill no. 1084, session of 1941. Introduced by Messrs. Mallery and Ruth., 1941 June 2.
Box 3 Box Folder 56
1941 State action on the model youth correction authority act. A report of the work being done by voluntary groups in several states to promote the adoption of the act. , 1941 November.
Box 4 Box Folder 1
1941 Status of youth authority program as of December 18, 1941, 1941 December 18.
Box 4 Box Folder 2
1941 The English borstal system of parole and after-care. By Benedict S. Alper. Reprinted from "Federal Probation.", 1941 October - December .
Box 4 Box Folder 3
1942 Report to the judicial conference of the committee on punishment for crime. Washington DC., 1942 June.
Box 4 Box Folder 4
1941-1942 Field work. Progress reports by John R. Ellingston or William Draper Lewis., 1941-1942.
Box 4 Box Folder 5
1943 Hearings before subcommittee no. 3 of the committee on the judiciary house of representatives 78th congress first session on H.R. 2139 and G.R. 2140. Serial no. 4., 1943 May 18- June 10.
Box 4 Box Folder 6
1944 Report to the council of John R. Ellingston, special adviser on criminal justice-youth, on present status of youth correction authority program., 1944 February 11.
Box 4 Box Folder 7
1945 Materials relating to the Federal Corrections Act, 1945.
Box 4 Box Folder 8
1947 A two-year program to complete the ALI's sponsorship of the youth correction authority act, 1947 July.
Box 4 Box Folder 9
1948 Status of youth authority program as of March 10, 1948, 1948 March 10.
Box 4 Box Folder 10
1948 Report of John R. Ellingston, special adviser., 1948 April 15.
Box 4 Box Folder 11
1949 Progress report of the youth authority program for the year ending Aug. 1, 1949. John Ellingston, 1949 August 1.
Box 4 Box Folder 12
1949 Memorandum re: the ALI's youth authority program., 1949.
Box 4 Box Folder 13
1940's Speech material, 194?.
Box 4 Box Folder 14
A study of the youth authority program as promulgated by the ALI. Prepared in the Bureau of Public Affairs of the Community Service Society of New York. No date.
Box 4 Box Folder 15
The Virginia children's bureau, a state agency for handling youthful offenders. By John R. Ellingston. No date.
Box 4 Box Folder 16
Los Angeles county forestry camps for delinquent boys. By Hon. Robert H. Scott Judge of the juvenile court Los Angeles county, and D.R.S. Morrison, deputy probation officer Los Angeles county. No date.
Box 4 Box Folder 17
1951 American law: a moral inventory. By Edmond N. Cahn. Submitted to the council of the ALI for discussion at the meeting., 1951 March 14-17.
Box 4 Box Folder 18
Comments by John R. Ellingston on "A study of the youth authority program." No date.
Box 4 Box Folder 19
Chairman's manual for "youth in the toils" listening groups.
Box 4 Box Folder 20
Index.
Box 4 Box Folder 21
First preliminary draft of report of special committee to general committee. No date.
Box 4 Box Folder 22
A broadside attack on crime, by John R. Ellingston. No date.
Box 4 Box Folder 23
Crime today and tomorrow, a program of prevention and correction. No date.
Box 4 Box Folder 24
Work of the ALI on the treatment of youths convicted of violation of law. William Draper Lewis. No date.
Box 4 Box Folder 25
Draft.
Box 4 Box Folder 26
Stencils.
Box 4 Box Folder 26
1940-1941 Talks by Judge Joseph N. Ulman, William Draper Lewis, Edward R. Cass, and John Barker Waite., 1940-1941.

Scope and Contents note

Published material issued by the American Law Institute following its adoption of the Model Youth Correction Authority Act. These publications helped explain the ALI's position on the Model Youth Correction Authority Act, the Youth Authority Program, and, generally, the criminal behavior of minors.

Physical Description

5 items

1940 The plan for a youth correction authority. Supplement to youth in crime. The ALI's proposal for a new approach to the handling of youths who commit crimes., 1940 September.
Box 4 Box Folder 27
1941 Youth in crime. Presenting the major results of two years of investigation by a committee of the ALI., 1941 April.
Box 4 Box Folder 28
1951 5 States. A study of the youth authority program as promulgated by the ALI. By Bertram M. Beck. , 1951 July 1.
Box 4 Box Folder 29
1941 State action on the model youth correction authority act. Nov, 1941. A report of the work being done by voluntary groups in several states to promote adoption of the act., 1941 November.
Box 4 Box Folder 30
Twenty-seven questions and their answers about the plan for a youth correction authority. Compiled by Professor John Barker Waite.
Box 4 Box Folder 31

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