Evening star., 1936-03-21
Prettyman Recommended
tions to Be Taken Up
by Commissioners.
PROPOSED CHANGES
BACKED BY SPONSORS
Action Next Week, Affecting
Minor Items, Will Be Referred
to Budget Bureau.

COlilIIlIttCc, ID W pC COIloluClCu llCAb
week by the Commissioners on a re-
port by Corporation Counsel E. Bar
rett Prettyman, who will recommend
approval with suggested amendments.
Most of the proposed changes are
minor in character. but some would
make permissive instead of mandatory
certain provisions regarding trial by
Judge instead of jury and exclusion Of
the general public from attendance at
hearings and inspection of records Of
court wards.
Sponsors of the measure are said to
have approved most of the proposed
changes.
Recommendation adopted by the
Commissioners will be forwarded to
the Budget Bureau for determination
as to whether they are in accord with
the financial or legislative policies of
President Roosevelt.
Spokesman Consulted.
Prettyman, whose service as corpora
ton counsel ends officially March 81,
has consulted various spokesmen for
groups interested in the measure. In
the case of most of the proposed
changes, he reports, the revised draft
expresses what had been intended by
sponsors Of the measure.
The purpose and basic principle of
the bill. as recommended by Pretty
man, will be made to read:
"The purpose of this act is to Sc
cure for each child under its juris-
diction such care and guidance (the
wards and control are delete6,
preferably in his own home, as will
serve the child's welfare and the best
interests of the State; to conserve
and strengthen the child'S family ties
whenever possible. removing him from
the custody of his parents only when
his welfare or the safety and protec-
ton of the public cannot be ade-
quately Safeguarded without such re-
moval; and when such child is re-
moved from his family, to secure for
him custody, care and discipline as
nearly as possible equivalent to that
which should have been given by his
parents"
The section describing to whom the
act shall apply is rewritten. Pretty
man said. primarily to use terms the
meaning of which has been fixed by
court decisions.
The first paragraph provides for
application to any person under 18
who has violated any law or who
has violated any ordinance or regu-
lation of the District of Columbia. ="
The second paragraph, as revised, will
read: "Or who is habitually beyond
the control of his parents, guardian
reason of being wayward or habitually
disobedient is uncontrolled by his
parents, guardian or custodian"
Paternity Jurisdiction.
The bill gives Juvenile Court orig
inal and exclusive jurisdiction to de-
termine the paternity of any child
alleged to have been born out of we'd
lock and to provide for the childs sup
port. The revision approved by Pret-
lyman adds, "in which cases the re-
spondent shall be entitled to jury trial
if he shall so demand"
Under the section dealing with in
formation, investigation and petition
concerning cases subject to the court
jurisdiction the Prettyman draft pro-
vides that any person may give to the
court information 'to a duly desig-
mated officer Of the court" whereas the
original draft reads ito the court"
This thought is carried further in
the section so that it would read "an
appropriate officer Of the court" or
such officer" rather than merely "the
court" may make preliminary inquiry
to determine whether the interests of
the public and the child require that
further action be taken
The section dealing with hearing
and judgment as originally drafted
reads: "The court may conduct the
hearing in an informal manner and
may adjourn the hearing from time
to time. In the hearing of any case
the general public shall be excluded
and only such persons admitted as
have direct interest in the case. All
cases involving children shall be heard
separately and apart from the trial
against adults. The court shall hear
and determine all cases of children
without a jury"
Exclusion Of Public.
The draft Prettyman plans to rec
ommend would provide that the judge
may" instead of shall" exclude the
general public and may admit only
such persons as have direct interest
in the case "and their representa-
tives." Also the provision that the
judge shall determine cases of chill
dren without a jury is made permis-
sive instead Of mandatory.
These changes, Prettyman believes,
properly would leave discretion in the
hands Of the judge to decide If the
public be admitted or whether jury
trial should be granted.
The bill provides that the Judge
may designate a social worker of the
court as o commissioner In the first
instance" to hear and determine the
disposition of any case coming within
the provisions of the act and report
to the judge his conclusions and rec
concentrations. Revision suggested by
Prettyman would change this to pro-
vide that the commissioner would be
designated "either to dispose" of the
case "or to direct the filing of petit
ton therein"
The bill is designed to eliminate
prosecution of Juvenile Court cases
by an assistant corporation counsel.
AS to publicity of records, Pretty
man would leave with the Judge dis