The Washington times., 1915-02-26
Attorney General Gregory
Sends to Congress Drafts Of
Two Proposed Laws.
HExNER BOARD REPORT
Bill Would Relieve 1000 Chill.
dren of disqualification for
Public Office or Jury Duty.

Attorney General Gregory today sent
10 Congress the draft Of two proposed
laws, one giving the District Of Column
bia a juvenile Court system designed to
serve as.a model for the entire coun-
try, and the other relieving the dis
qualification for jury duty. holding pub
lie office or entering the public service
which now exists against 1900 children
who have previously been convicted In
tho Juvenile Court.
The bills were prepared by commit
tee composed of Bernard Flexner. Of
Chicago, chairman: Miss Julia c. La
throp, chief Of the Children's Bureau;
the Rev. William J. kerby. professor Of
sociology at Catholic University; Wal
ter G. Clephane and William II. Bald
win. of Washington.
This committee, which was appointed
. year ago. also submitted to the At.
torney General an exhaustive report Of
forty-fve printed pages. which was re-
ferred to Congress by Attorney General
Gregory with the two proposed laws
Present Law Unsatisfactory.
Present laws of the District pertain
ing to delinquent children are assailed
MS "strikingly out Of harmony with the
modern movement touching juvenile
courts" in that they brand children as
criminals to be prosecuted by the state.
rather than saved by 1t. To correct this
the draft of the proposed act abandons
the traditions of the criminal law and
rests upon the broad principle that the
child who finds his way into court ''is
not to be regarded as a criminal. but
rather as ward of the nation, and
whose individual welfare comedies with
with the well-being OF the state.
The model juvenile court legislation
recommended, which Is considered the
most advanced step yet taken In the
correction of Juvenile delinquents, has
the following salient features:
Features of Proposed Act.
A petition stating facts is filed in
stead Of q criminal information or
complaint against a child.
The child Is not arraigned nor put
on oath. nor asked to plead guilty or
not guilty. but the court shall hear
habits and surroundings of the child In
order to render Judgment which
shall hest conserve his welfare.
Power is given to the court to allow
the child to remain In his home. or to
be placed in suitable home or institu-
tion.
The court is given power to exclude
the general public from hearings
against children. admitting only those
who have direct interest In the case:
No adjudication against child shall
operate as a disqualification for jury
duty or for public office, "and no child
shall be denominated a criminal by rea-
son of such conviction
Children pending hearing shall be de-
tained in detention school to be prop
erly equipped.
The parent or guardian may be COM
PEELED TO support the child while In GUS
Provision il made for medical inspec-
In committing child to any custodial
agency. the court shall. SO far as pos.
sible, select as such some individual
childs parents or some institution gov
erned by persons of like religious faith,
unless the institution is a public one.
Adults who contribute to delinquency
the act.
In exceptional cases requiring a child
to be dealt with by the criminal courts
the judge may certify the case for
The Juvenile Court judge may ap,
point an advisory board OF six to ten
persons without salary to visit cor
rectional institutions twice a year.
Power of appointing the board OF
Childrens Guardians is taken from the
judges Of the Police Court and Grim.
inai courts and vested in the District
Commissioners.
judge is changed from six years. as a,
present to ten years.
THE passage Of the act in question.
the report of the committee says, will
not add ANYTHING to the burden of tn the
tion, and the money set apart for the
present court is to be used for the ne"
court"
Severest criticism is voiced by thu
Flcxner committee in its report te
the Attorney General of existing juve
nile court procedure in the District
This court. which was established II
1906. Is described as essentially {
police court for children" Under
diction OF petty offenses" and mis-
Gemeanors" only, and must hold chill
drsn for greater offenses" for &C
tion ty this grand jury.
Makes Permanent Record.
Children before the court at pres
ent must be charged with crime
and when found guilty" convic
tion must be entered. thus making 1
permanent criminal record agains
them. Between the fiscal years Jun
90. 1907. and June 80. 1913. both in
elusive. 1857 children passed through
The court. the Flexner committee re
port says.
OF this total. upward of 1000 chill
dren were found guilty of crime, ha
judgments of conviction Of crime en-
tered against them. and by reason o
such judgment "are disqualifie
from jury duty, from holding offict
or entering the public service" ?
Summarizing it's criticism of the pres
ent law. the Flexner committee repor
says:
ly out OF harmony with the moderl
method touching Juvenile court legisla
uon. So far as the law Is concerned
every detail OF the criminal law
worked out against the child. Like tn
adult. he is IA lawbreaker; he is an OF
fender against the public peace: tn
particular offense. be it ever so trihinl
Is of no moment: he may be charge
with breaking window in his play
AN offense against property or tak,n
a newspaper, larceny There Is. &c