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Juvenile Delinquency in Wartime and Peacetime: The Activity of the Belgian Juvenile Courts, 1912–1950

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Youth and Justice in Western States, 1815-1950

Part of the book series: World Histories of Crime, Culture and Violence ((WHCCV))

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Abstract

This chapter examines a situation under the aegis of Belgium’s child welfare-oriented Child Protection Act of 1912. The chapter is devoted to the implementation of the act, with a comparison between the periods of the two World Wars and those of peace, between 1912 and 1950. Comparing the statistics and judgments with the juvenile case files—in times of war and in times of peace—shows the extent to which the correspondence between the acts alleged in judgments and the reasons set down in the case files is not very obvious. One can thereby see the ambiguity of a welfare-oriented protective law whose implementation includes elements that appear to have been borrowed from the penal system.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    As to legislative convergences in the area child protection, see Dupont-Bouchat, M.-S. and Pierre, E. (eds.), Enfance et justice au XIXe siècle, Paris, Presses Universitaires de France, 2001, pp. 323–420.

  2. 2.

    “By 1890 a reorganization of the Belgian institutional network dealing with juvenile delinquents was introduced by Minister of Justice Lejeune. In short, this reorganization unified reformatories for vagrants and beggars and prisons for juvenile delinquents under the same label and ‘régime’ of the newly introduced bienfaisance or welfare schools.” Christiaens, J., “A history of Belgium’s child protection Act of 1912. The redefinition of the juvenile offender and his punishment” in European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, No. 1, 1991, p. 9.

  3. 3.

    Delacollette, E, Contribution à l’histoire de la protection de l’enfance en Belgique, Merxplas, Imprimerie administrative, 1949, p. 15.

  4. 4.

    Terlinden, G., “La magistrature belge sous l’occupation allemande. Souvenirs de guerre août 1914 – octobre 1918” in La Belgique judiciaire, no 36, 1919, col. 1213; Dupont-Bouchat, M.-S., “ De l’école de bienfaisance à l’école des caïds. Les dernières années du pénitencier de Saint-Hubert (1913–1956)” in Saint-Hubert d’Ardenne. Cahiers d’histoire, Vol. X, 2004, pp. 143–200.

  5. 5.

    François, A., “From street walking to the convent: young prostitutes judged by the Juvenile Court of Brussels during World War One” in Jones, H., Schmidt-Supprian, C., O’Brien, J. (eds), Untold War. New perspectives in First World War Studies, Dublin: Brill, 2008, pp. 151–178.

  6. 6.

    Majerus, B., “La prostitution à Bruxelles pendant la Grande Guerre: contrôle et pratique”, in Crime, Histoire & Sociétés / Crime, History & Societies, Vol. 7, No.1, 2003, pp. 5–42.

  7. 7.

    Collard, C., “La prostitution des mineures et l’application de la loi sur la protection de l’enfance” in Bulletin de l’office de la protection de l’enfance, No. 13, 1920, pp. 39–51.

  8. 8.

    These mothers, from the Termonde district, were subject to proceedings to deprive them of parental rights. Enforcement of the judgments was halted by Major von Iena, Orts-Kommandant in Beveren-Waes. Terlinden, G., Op. cit., col. 1211.

  9. 9.

    Velge, H., La protection de l’enfance en Belgique. Son passé – son avenir, Brussels, Goemaere, 1919, 2nd part, p. 30. However, it must be mentioned that four juvenile judges sat in a different capacity (in Anvers, Louvain, Bruxelles and Charleroi). Wets, P., La guerre et l’enfant, Moll, 1919, p. 8. For an historical analysis of the strike of the judiciary and its repercussions on juvenile courts, see Bost, M. and François, A. “La grève de la magistrature belge (février – novembre 1918). Un haut fait de la résistance nationale à l’épreuve des archives judiciaries”, in Heirbaut, D., Rousseaux, X. and Wijffels, A., Histoire du droit et de la justice: une nouvelle génération de recherches: actes des dix-neuvièmes journées belgo-néerlandaises d’histoire du droit et de la justice (10-11-12 décembre 2008, UCL, Louvain-la-Neuve), pp. 19–43. Louvain-la-Neuve: PUL, 2009.

  10. 10.

    Massart, B., Le mouvement de la protection de l’enfance en Belgique dans l’entre-deux-guerres. L’action de l’Oeuvre Nationale de l’Enfance, degree dissertation, ULB, 1993 (unpublished).

  11. 11.

    The same excerpt appears in: Delannoy, A., “L’application de la loi du 15 mai 1912 sur la protection de l’Enfance de 1913 à 1928” in Revue de droit pénal et de criminologie, 1929, pp. 1086–1087; Delannoy, A., “L’application de la loi du 15 mai 1912 sur la protection de l’Enfance de 1920 à 1931” in Revue de droit pénal et de criminologie, 1932, p. 801; Delannoy, A., “L’application de la loi du 15 mai 1912 sur la protection de l’Enfance de 1920 à 1933” in Revue de droit pénal et de criminologie, 1934, p. 1139. Our translation.

  12. 12.

    AE Beveren, Archives of the Union of Juvenile Judges (previously the Union of Children Judges) (1913–1980), digital copies of minutes and related documents. 10: 8 February 1930–10 December 1938: Minutes de l’assemblée générale de l’Union des juges pour enfants, le 15 juin 1930. Discours du président Wets à l’occasion de la remise du prix Carton de Wiart. Our translation.

  13. 13.

    The work of Aimée Racine is a good example of this: Racine, A., “Quelques observations sur le milieu familial des enfants de justice” in Revue de l’Institut de sociologie, 1934, No. 1, pp. 101–102; Racine, A., Les enfants traduits en justice. Etude d’après trois cents dossiers du tribunal pour enfants de l’arrondissement de Bruxelles, Liège, Thone, 1935; etc.

  14. 14.

    “I am, and I do not apologize for it, an unrepentant admirer, and also a regular visitor, of Belgian institutions for the rehabilitation of delinquent children”. Comments by Alexis Danant during a tour of Belgian institutions for his book on the “houses of torture” in 1936, quoted by Dupont-Bouchat, M.-S., De la prison à l’école. Les pénitenciers pour enfants en Belgique au XIXe siècle (1840–1914), Louvain-la-Neuve, 1996, UGA (Anciens pays et assemblées d’États, XCIX), p. 320. Our translation.

  15. 15.

    Delannoy, A., “L’application de la loi du 15 mai 1912 sur la protection de l’Enfance de 1913 à 1925” in Revue de droit pénal et de criminologie, 1927, p. 234. Our translation.

  16. 16.

    Dupont-Bouchat, M.S., De la prison à l’école…, p. 319.

  17. 17.

    “The law provides for a visit by judges to see the children. Gentlemen, these visits are not frequent. I can understand why perfectly well. Many of you are not simply juvenile judges. (…) When children are in State establishments, an individual record sheet is kept, at least I believe so because I have seen it, which records the child’s development. (…) But in the case of private establishments, I doubt very much if this is so. Can we have absolute confidence in these institutions? There are some which are well kept, and then there are others….!”. AE Beveren, Archives of the Union of Youth Judges (previously the Union of Juvenile Judges) (1913–1980), digital copies of minutes and related documents. 10: 8 February 1930–10 December 1938: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Union of Juvenile Judges of 30 January 1931. Speech by the Minister of Justice. Our translation.

  18. 18.

    Ibid. Our translation.

  19. 19.

    Dupont-Bouchat, M.S., «De l’école de bienfaisance à l’école de caïds. Les dernières années du pénitencier de Saint-Hubert (1913–1956)», in Saint-Hubert d’Ardenne. Cahiers d’histoire, 2004, pp. 143–200.

  20. 20.

    Racine, A., La délinquance juvénile en Belgique de 1939 à 1957, Brussels, Centre d’études de la délinquance juvénile, 1959, p. 54. Our translation.

  21. 21.

    Ibid. p. 62.

  22. 22.

    Wauters, E., Le droit pénal des jeunes délinquants, Bruxelles, 1950, p. 186.

  23. 23.

    These minors may have been reprimanded, entrusted to a person, entrusted to a charitable organisation or institution or to a public or private educational institution, entrusted to a State establishment or placed in an asylum.

  24. 24.

    Delannoy, A., “L’application de la loi du 15 mai 1912 sur la protection de l’Enfance de 1920 à 1933” in Revue de droit pénal et de criminologie, 1934, pp. 1123–1141. Our translation.

  25. 25.

    Velge, H., Op. cit., p. 28. Our translation.

  26. 26.

    In Belgium, the conscription rate (estimated at 20.4%) was lower than in other countries (France: 89%), because of the rapid occupation of the country. Olbrechts, R., “La population” in Mahaim, E. (ed.), La Belgique restaurée: étude sociologique, Bruxelles, 1926, pp. 14–15. Quoted by De Schaepdrijver, S., La Belgique et la première guerre mondiale, Bruxelles, 2004, p. 293.

  27. 27.

    Racine, A., La délinquance juvénile… pp. 50–54.

  28. 28.

    Ibid., p. 59. Our translation.

  29. 29.

    “La guerre et la délinquance juvénile. Conférence d’experts réunie à Genève du 29 avril au 2 mai 1947 au secrétariat de l’union internationale de protection de l’enfance” in Revue internationale de l’enfant, No. 2–3, p. 79. Our translation.

  30. 30.

    Ibid., p. 80.

  31. 31.

    Statistique judiciaire de la Belgique, Protection de l’enfance, Brussels, 1916, pp. 332–333. Heading: “Mineurs jugés en 1915 – Nature des faits commis – Art. 13 à 16”. The interpretation of this significant increase in the number of prostitution cases remains difficult, as no file could be found in the archives.

  32. 32.

    The first Compulsory Education Act was voted May 19, 1914, but it did not have influence on juvenile courts, as the description of the penalties was unclear. A second Act, more complete and pragmatic than the first one, passed on October 18, 1921.

  33. 33.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, Case No. 555 of J., provisional custody order of 24 November 1931. Our translation.

  34. 34.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, Case No. 555 of J., Police report, 23 November 1931. Our translation.

  35. 35.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, Case No. 765 of V., Police report, 23 July 1938. Our translation.

  36. 36.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, Case No. 1132 of M., Police report, 3 March 1943. Our translation.

  37. 37.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, Case No. 1132 of M., Mol Observation Report No 9907. Our translation.

  38. 38.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, Case No. 1133 of J., Police report, 2 February 1941. Our translation.

  39. 39.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, Case No. 1398 of G., Police report 8 August 1945.

  40. 40.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, Case No. 1397 of W., Police report, 27 December 1943. Our translation.

  41. 41.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, Case No. 1397 of W., report of the hearing of 28 August 1945. Our translation.

  42. 42.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, Case No. 975 of Y., Police report. Evidence quoted by Peltier, M., La justice des mineurs en temps de guerre. La pratique du Tribunal pour enfants de Namur durant les années 1940, degree dissertaton UCL, 2003 (unpublished), p. 124. Our translation.

  43. 43.

    La guerre et la délinquance juvénile. Conférence d’experts…, p. 80.

  44. 44.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, File No 1123, Yvon T., Additional observation report No. 7655 by the Observation Section of the State Educational Establishment of Saint-Hubert. Our translation.

  45. 45.

    Juvenile Court of Namur, “not followed up”, Police report concerning Céline H. Our translation.

  46. 46.

    Peltier, M., Op. cit., pp. 167–178. With regard to acts of collaboration, Marie Peltier analyzed in detail cases Nos. 1273, 1303, 1308, 1310 and 1348 of the Namur Juvenile Court.

  47. 47.

    Racine, A., “Maintien ou abandon de la règle “nulla poena, nullum crimen sine lege” dans les juridictions pour enfants” in Revue de droit pénal et de criminologie, 1937, p. 153. Our translation.

  48. 48.

    Smith, D., “Juvenile delinquency in Britain in First World War” in Criminal Justice History, vol. 11, 1990, p. 137.

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  1. Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

    Aurore François

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  1. University of Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Jean Trépanier

  2. Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

    Xavier Rousseaux

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François, A. (2018). Juvenile Delinquency in Wartime and Peacetime: The Activity of the Belgian Juvenile Courts, 1912–1950. In: Trépanier, J., Rousseaux, X. (eds) Youth and Justice in Western States, 1815-1950. World Histories of Crime, Culture and Violence. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66245-9_11

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