Evening star., 1937-02-03
JUVENILE COURT
BILL REPORTED
. BY HOUSE GROUP
Special Meeting Tomorrow
to Act on Horse Racing
Measure.
DlRKSEN EXPLAINS
NORTON BILL CHANGES
New Procedure Substituting
Chancery for Criminal System
Almost Universal.

The House District Committee to-
day ordered favorable report on the
Norton bill to modernize and human
iZe Juvenile Court procedure, and
scheduled a special meeting tomor-
row to take definite action on a bill
to legalize horse racing here under
the pari-mutuel system.
A series of amendments were added
to the Juvenile Court bill, most Of
them on recommendation OF Corpo-
ration Counsel Elwood Seal. Most of
the changes were designed to clarity
the measure and to correct phrase
ology.
Representative Quinn, Democrat, Of
Pennsylvania, made an unsuccessful
effort to have a provision stricken
out Of the bill requiring the judge
Of Juvenile Court to be a member Of
the bar. His motion for that pur-
pose was defeated, 5 to 4.
Executive Session.
The racing bill was discussed briefly
in an executive session that followed
the regular meeting Of the committee.
Because of the lack of time to give it
thorough consideration the special
meeting was arranged. 1t will begin
at ll:l5 am.
Representative Dirksen, Republican.
of Illinois. acting in the absence OF
Representative Nichols, Democrat, Of
Oklahoma, who handled the Juvenile
Court bill at the last session of Con-
gress, explained the measure in detail
and analyzed its various provisions.
Dirksen pointed out that the new
procedure to be set up under the bill
which would substitute a chancery
system for the present criminal pro-
cedure, is almost universal throughout
the country.
1T would make new type Of court
based on the broad principle that the
child who comes before tine court is
not to be regarded as a criminal, but
as one whose individual welfare COIN
cides with the well-being of the state
and who is to be saved rather than
prosecuted by it." he declared.
The letter of the proposed bill
clearly implies its spirit, which is one
of protection and welfare rather than
punishment and retribution.
Jurisdictional Age Is.
THE jurisdictional age is raised
from II in the present law TO l8. A
safeguard is provided whereby the
Juvenile Court at its discretion may
send to the United States Courts for
the District cases in which children
over 16 are involved in serious Of
fenses. But the jurisdiction is in other
respects original and exclusive up to
18 years.
Information and complaint OF
criminal procedure give way to a
petition setting forth the facts that
bring the child within the provisions
of the act
Ample provision for dealing with
adults guilty of contributing to delin-
quency is made. Initial or preliminary
investigation is provided before filing
petition. Privacy of hearings is pro-
vided, but the definition of privacy does
not exclude any person having legiti-
mate interest in the case, including
legal counsel. The public in general
and morbid curiosity seekers in par
ticular alone are excluded
The committee also decided to ap-
point special subcommittee to con-
slider and report on bill to provide
charter for Southeastern University
The Juvenile Court bill will
reach the House calendar in time
for consideration Monday, when
the District legislative calendar
is called up. There are only two
District bills now on the calendar,
one providing for outright repeal OF
the "red rider" to the 1886 District
appropriation act and the other cre-
ating two classes of detectives in the
Police Department.
The "red rider" repeater, however,
has a preferred status and Is slated
for House consideration first.