Evening star., 1920-05-18
ASKED.
FOR JUVENILE LAW
Commissioners Want Pro-
baton Authority Without
=; Court Record.

| The Distric. i'cmcr;ss toner's today
sent to the Hois. r7t. senate District
! committees The dr.t. % proposed
n, cndmeEt TO ihe law CT the Juvenile
! Court which wouiu give that oourt
fpoWer to put "a child IN probation or
commit it TO the board of chi!dren's
guardians without placing a formal
record of gu.'t Asains; the boy or
girl.
The pioposSa new section provides
| thai instead OF. holding a formal hear
ing under the provisions. Of exist ,na
law. the court may in its discretion
entertain petition signed 5y the
prosecuting officer of said court. set
ting III, the particular ACT or 5tctS in
Question 81 any such 'chfih. a,i fray
ias the court 20 make :naI;ry as TO
wheth,T or no; the propens;t:es of
!; such child. as indicated by said &C.
cr :r;s in question. are such that the
It's. interests of such require that il
be af.suiged wari of the court. and
as sub ward sn3jec: to its jurisdic-
! ..un. e'-atrol and disposition
Would Give Court Discretion.
The r!,argc in the ae would give
II" court :he discretion either to i'm
''psc judgment OF guilt. as at present
"r TO put rhc rhi.G on probation or
commit II TO tie board of chi!dr.n's
Su3ra.anS Withoc imposing Judgment.
IL is stipulated that the child. It's
'ritnd or parent shall have the right
To request the regular criminal prose
cution instead Of the informal in
quiry provided for in the new. sec
ton.
1t is specifically Sc. forth that the
inquiry provided for in the new sec
tion shall not be considered or denom-
mated criminal prosecution. nor
shall an adjndicatiop hereunder be
considered, OF denomf9ated a convic-
ton nor such 4 child a criminal. by
reason of such proceeding. nor shall
any SUCH adjudication have any ef-
feet upon the civil rights OF such
child SO far as concerns its qua lifica-
tion for jury duty. for office or any
other public service.
No child adjudSed a ward Of the
court after an inquiry az provided for
in the new section shall afterwand be
subject to criminal prosecution for
the same act.
Another proposed amendment pro-
vides that the marriage of child
against whom procs edings have been
started in Juvenile Court shall in no
way affect those proceedings or the
disposition which the court may
make Of the. case.
Wider Probation Power Sought.
Another amendment provides that
n cases Of children under sixteen
brought before the court as neglected
or destitute of suitable home. instead
of committing them TO the board of
children's guardians, the court may
assign a probation officer to exercise
supervision over the child. its home
and environment until the child is
nineteen years of age.
Another amendment would give the
Juvenile Court power at any time TO
consider a petition for the withdrawal
of child from custody of the board
CT -chidren's guardians to be placed
Oh probation.
Another amendment gives the Juye-
.:e Court jurisdiction to try parents.
guardians or persons for causing. ea-
vouraRing or contributing to the de-
,.nQuency of a. child. Such persons
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and
tn. punishment for conviction shall be
no: more than 5000 and Imprisonment
for not more than a year.
The Commissioners also sent to the
House and Senate District commit
tees today a proposed amendment to
the laW for the support OF illegiti-
mate j~hildren. which would givf-poth
bhy ! ~ Gasa. FL sss
ooc