Evening star., 1944-02-11
CountyWeIf Report
Demands Immediate
Juvenile Court 5etup
2-Month Survey Result
On Prince Georges Needs
Put Up to Commissioners

A demand for immediate estab-
lishment of juvenile court In
Prince Georges County Is contained
IN a committee report adopted by
the County Volunteer Juvenile
Welfare Association at a meeting
last night in the County Service
Building, Hyattsville.
The report, which will be placed
before the county commissioners,
represents the result OF q two
month survey by the committee,
appointed by the association last
November to investigate the need
for a juvenile court.
Daniel M. Greene, committee
chairman, presented majority
report recommending that the mat
ter be postponed pending enact
ment Of legislation by the General
Assembly placing jurisdiction over
juvenile delinquency cases in the
circuit courts throughout the State.
Concurring were Mrs. Betty Tay-
man, Mrs. r. S. Allen and Mrs.
M. e. Alexander.
Minority Report.
A minority report, however. by
DR.. Peter Lejins, assistant pro-
fessor of sociology at the Univer.
sity OF Maryland, urged immediate
establishment of a juvenile court
under the present provisions OF
the law.
After both reports had been dis
cussed for more than two hours
by the approximately Is persons
present, a motion by the Rev. w.
CLARK Main Of the County Mini
sterial Association to amend Mr..
Greene's report to include DR.. Le-
Jins' recommendation for imme.
diate action, was approved by a
vote Of to 7.
While both Mr.. Greene and DR.,
LeJins agreed that juvenile delin-
quency has become a major problem
and that a juvenile court is needed
IN the county, Mr.. Greene contended
that the present law authorizing
lts establishment Is a "makeshift.'
Under this law, he explained, the
county commissioners are en-
powered to fix salaries Of a juvenile
court judge and his assistants and
TO request the Governor to appoint
a magistrate to hear juvenile cases.
Another method, he continued
would be to have judge of the
county circuit court voluntarily as
sumo Jurisdiction over such cases.
Calls Laws Inadequate.
Declaring that existing laws IN
Maryland are wholly inadeouate"
70 set up juvenile court in Prince
Georges County that will be a juve-
nile court in reality as we'll as in
name,' Mr.. Greene asserted that
appointment of magistrate to hear
juvenile cases would be "merelv
makeshift" for the kind of court
that is actually needed
ne added that it would be "in-
ADVISABLE to ask judge of the
county circuit court at this time
TO assume exclusive Jurisdiction over
juvenile cases.
The General Assembly should
first be called upon to make ths
resignation and to provide the pro-
ceoure and appropriate the neces-
sary funds to put 1t into effect"
he said.
He also pointed out that the Stat.
commission on Juvenile Delinouencv
has recommended the rrneal ~
present juvenile court laws and In
thelr stead has urged the establish
ment OF such courts for the counties
and Tor Baltimore City as branches
OF the various circuit courts and of
the supreme bench" In Baltimore
This recommendation has already
oeen carried out in Baltimore, he
said ''
Needed Now, Says DR.. Lejins,
Dr. LeJlns contended that a juven-
lie court Is needed now" and that
eHorts could be made later to per-
1ect 1t. He also recommended that
work can be started in conjunction
with other counties toward the es-
adjustment of juvenile courts that
might require constitutional amend
ments or new law.
This would not interfere with
the setting up of juvenile court
IN the county," he explained, since
the job Of the court to be established
now could easily be taken over and
continued by the better organized
court In the future"
Opposition to establishment of anv
juvenile court was voiced by Judge
Vincent A. Osterman OF the County
Orphans Court: Marvin Peach. a
county attorney, and Sergt. Fred
T. Ridgeway. Judge OSterman rec
commended the teaching of laws
and regulations in schools so that
boys and girls would know ''how to
keep out of court" He predicted
the abolition Of juvenile delinquency
within two years provided such a
procedure is followed.