The writer of the report says: “The writer has for some years made it a practice to follow up the correspondence or otherwise the most widely published and sensational accounts of hardships experienced by innocent persons under judicial conviction, and has been surprised at the meagre ground upon which such reports rest, though he finds that they are quite generally credited by the reading public. “Perhaps his (the secretary’s) report may tend to establish confidence in the courts on the part of those who are not informed and who have neither the means nor the time, even if they have the inclination, to inform themselves, and it might be a good beginning in the effort on the part of the institutions to be understood by the public.” _Annual Conference of New York Magistrates._--A number of important problems before the judges of police courts and children’s courts will be discussed and acted upon at the third annual state conference of magistrates, which will meet in Albany on December 8 and 9. One of the principal subjects to be discussed relates to the need of a state reformatory for male misdemeanants between 16 and 21 years of age. Courts outside of New York city have no suitable institutions to which to commit offenders of this class. A special feature of the conference will be a stereopticon lecture on the detection and treatment of defendants who are mentally defective, by Dr. George M. Parker, psychiatric examiner for the New York prison association. Dr. Parker has lately examined large numbers of prisoners in the Tombs in New York city and has found that a large proportion are feeble minded or otherwise defective. Other important subjects will refer to the necessity of public prosecutors in police courts, weaknesses in the present methods of securing and using court interpreters and the treatment of boys and youths convicted of illegal train riding, trespassing on railroad property and stealing from the railroads. Transcriber’s Notes Page 2: “universally condemed” changed to “universally condemned” Page 3: “This sysem” changed to “This system” Page 6: “state instituions” changed to “state institutions” Page 7: “in he colonies” changed to “in the colonies” “refomative agencies” changed to “reformative agencies” Page 8: “At Merrplas” changed to “At Merxplas” Page 9: “attactive buildings” changed to “attractive buildings” Page 10: “exceedinly dangerous” changed to “exceedingly dangerous” Page 15: “been inocent?” changed to “been innocent?” Page 16: “railroad propery” changed to “railroad property”