Evening star., 1941-04-15
Juvenile Court
Asks Addition
OF 80 10 Staff
Report Also Urges
Psychistrist and
Physician Be Retained

An additional personnel of at least
30 probation and complaint officers
and clerical aides at Juvenile Court
was recommended yesterday in the
courts annual report submitted to
Congress by President Roosevelt.
The report also asked that a
psychiatrist and physician be re-
tanned to assist the court staff with
advice on difficult problems of child
behavior and on medical questions
Four new complaint Investigators
were requested to supplement the
present staff of three. 1t was said
the three now handle 81 complaints
each month, when the standard
is Is.
Nine more probation officers for
children were asked to assist the 13
now handling 80 cases a month,
when the standard for efficient work,
1t was said, should be so cases.
The report recommended II new
probation officers for adult cases.
The present officers, it was said
handle 40 cases month, when the
standard should be $50. Three
supervisors were sought, along with
a clerk, stenographe and a statis-
tical clerk.
Court Cases Reduced.
The pSychiatric clinic at the court
would be used for diagnosis of both
mental and physical ailments as re-
lated to child behavior and for the
guidance and direction of the
courts staff.
1t was pointed out that increasing
emphasis on preventive work in the
homes had resulted in reduction of
cases sent to court, although the
growing population results in an
annual increase in the demand for
the courts services.
In the fiscal year 1910 there were
1854 complaints, l.377 of which were
adjusted, with 1,277 going to court.
The cases sent to court were 258
less than in the previous year. The
average number on probation in
creased 63.
Higher-Age Group Added.
This was due in part, it was said.
TO the fact that the Juvenile Court
law of June, 1888. gave the court
jurisdiction over defendants up to
the age of 81, adding a higher-age
group to the burden of the proba-
tion staff.
The staff, it was said, had been able
to reduce, through adjustment work
IN the homes, the number of de-
PENDANTS committed to corrective
institutions or to the charge of the
Board of Public Welfare. In cases
OF domestic discord as a contributing
factor to child delinquency, 238 were
settled during the year without the
necessity for a court hearing.
The court reported SIS per cent
increase in the amount of money
collected for non-support.
The report recommended that
case work among young children in
the home and unmarried mothers
be extended.
Urges Change in Law.
The bastardy law should be
changed, 1t was said, to permit a
iather to come voluntarily before the
court to admit parenthood. Under
the present system warrants are is
sued for the fathers on complaint of
the mothers, with results often con-
trary to the best interests of all con-
cerned. Such authority, it was said.
would eliminate court records which
mother, father and child might have
occasion to regret.
1t was recommended that illegiti-
mate children have support until
they are 16 instead of IA. The report
pointed out that a 14-year-old child
mas little opportunity to be self
supporting.
Another recommendation asked for
an increase in the S6 relief sum al
lowed for dependent children. as
the sum was inadequate to provide
decent" living conditions. 1t was
further suggested that the provision
cutting off this sum for the support
of children on reaching the age of l6
be liberalized.
The report criticized the Navy for
taking Juvenile Court records into
account in passing on the applica-
tions of recruits.
Neither the Army nor the Coast
Guard follows this practice, it was
said. 1t was emphasized that the
court is not criminal agency and
its records should not be the means
of denying young people their full
civil rights.