To the same effect is the testimony of Judge Stubbs of the Juvenile Court of Indianapolis as to the necessity of securing the offender’s confidence: “It is the personal touch that does it. I have often observed that if I sat on a high platform behind a high desk, such as we had in our city court, with the boy on the prisoner’s bench some distance away, that my words had little effect on him; but if I could get close enough to him to put my hand on his head or shoulder, or my arm around him, in nearly every such case I could get his confidence.” The probation system and probation officers are necessary and effective elements in the operation of juvenile courts. The function of the probation officer is to investigate the facts before trial, and after probation to visit the child in his home; keep in close touch with his conduct and school attendance; admonish or cite for punishment parents who in any way have contributed to the child’s delinquency; advise and encourage the child and report conditions to the court. Most courts have one or more paid probation officers, the others being volunteers. One Indiana court was fortunate in having the assistance of two hundred volunteer probation officers who responded in turn whenever needed to assist in the work of probation and parole. The effectiveness of a juvenile court is measured by the ability, efficiency, and character of its judge and probation officers. Judge Ben B. Lindsey of the Juvenile Court of Denver, a leading authority on this subject, said: “Of course a juvenile-court system, while under any average circumstance, is bound to be a step in advance of the old methods of the criminal law in dealing with children, yet its permanent and more complete success depends upon the individuals to whom its execution is intrusted. We have heard a great deal about probation officers. Upon the character, tact, skill and intelligence of the judge and his assistants--the probation officers--largely depends the success of the court. Without personal touch, influence, patience, encouragement of the child, and attempt to arouse all the nobler and better impulses, and to subdue and suppress the discords of the soul, complete success is not likely to be attained. The law itself is of small importance compared to these elements. There is no higher or more important position of a public character in the community than that of a probation officer, unless it be the judge of the juvenile court. Perhaps this might illy come from one occupying that position, yet I have no apology to make for the statement. I am sure the statement can be appreciated by few more than by one who occupied so important a position. As this work progresses and its wonderful results are constantly observed, the force of the statement impresses itself more and more upon the mind of the judge of the juvenile court.”