Evening star., 1943-11-30
Communities
Hit for Laxity
On Delinquency
Senote Committee
Told Government
Should Step In

80
Pointing out that juvenile delin.
quency generally is regarded as q
problem for the local community to
solve, Judge Paul william Alexan-
der, president Of the Association of
Juvenile Court Judges of America,
asserted today "the plain truth is
that most States and local commu-
mites either cannot or will not face
up fully to their responsibilities"
Thus" he said, "the Federal Gov.
ernment appears to have both an
opportunity and duty to step in
and lend its incomparably greater
resources in helping protect and
reclaim future citizens"
Judge Alexander, of the Toledo
Juvenile Court, was one of the first
witnesses before the special Senate
Committee Investigating Wartime
Health and Education headed by
Senator Pepper, Democrat, Of
Florida.
Judge Alexander also said there
definitely" has been an increase in
juvenile delinquency in this country.
He said the situation is due largely"
TO parental neglect. The increase. he
continued, has been not only in war
boom communities but also in areas
which had no wartime increase in
population.
Girls Offenses Increase.
Principal offenses, he said, are
runaways and incorrigibility. al
though he agreed sex offenses also
are greater. He added that formerly
the number of girl delinquents was
only Is per cent of the number Of
boys, and now the ratio is about /
to 3.
Judge Alexander agreed with an
earlier witness, DR.. William Healy
of the Judge Baker Guidance Gen.
ter, Boston, that corrective measures
depend largely on the initiative OF
the local community, but that some
kinds of Federal aid are needed.
Both agreed the drafting of per-
sonnel from child caring agencies
and probation systems and the like,
and the loss of workers to other
services, had contributed to difficult
ties.
Judge Alexander made a number
of specific suggestions for Federal
aid:
Liberalization of regulations for
deferment of Federal, State and
local government workers to ease the
personnel situation.
Would Subsidize Workers.
Some sort of Federal subsidies to
provide needed workers for extern
sion Of recreation supervision. such
as formerly handled through WPA.
Grants in aid for postwar con-
struction of juvenile courts, deten.
ton homes and other juvenile car
ing institutions-now held to be
"tragically inadequate" He would
attach string to such grants to
assure that such institutions meet
definite standards.
Establishment ct various places Of
small training schools for Federal.
State and local police who handle
juvenile cases.
Revival of movement for adoption
of uniform divorce laws, such as
was initiated by Senator Capper,
Republican, of Kansas about 90
years ago. He made the point the
general divorce rate has about dou-
bled in the past decade. Judge Al
exander predicted that for this year
possibly twice as many homes would
be "blighted" by divorce than by
delinquency.
Establishment of probation camps
for boys between IA and l8 years,
to be ocerated on regional besis,
with rciehhorirG States having the
right to commit children for a pro-
beticn .c-iod.
Churches Criticized.
Also he suggested new arrange
nont5 for treo .ing RUNAWAY cases,
development CT new and varied"
types Of institutions. provision for
more vocational schools, Federal
"encoura cement" of child guidance
programs and that the United States
take steps to assure that mothers
entering war industry first make
adequate provision for their children.
DR.. Healy said there was no doubt
in his mind that the churches in the
United States have not done a good
job in attempting to counteract
juvenile delinquency.
England, he said. had gone far
ahead of this country in meeting
the problem.
TIE Righ. Rev. E. j. Flanagan Of
Boys Town told the committee the
"vast M ority" of children referred
to the courts and behavior clinics
today were Deprived" individuals
deprived CT actual physical re-
cui:emcn,s for growth, satisfying
family or group relationships,
sense of security or some other es-
sential component Of proper de.
vo1oproort