Evening star., 1950-06-06

Gathers sFigures
Promises to Give Out
True Picture of Her
Tribunals Work

remained the missing factor in the
charges and counter charges
swirling about Juvenile Court since
the resignation of two top court
aides,
Juvenile Court Judge Edith
Cockrill. whose administration was
criticized by the two reSigning
court officers. told reporters yes
terday she has four stan members
working on court figures.
I'm going to give out the best
possible information that presents
the true picture Of court opera
tions." she promised.
In reSigning, Miss Virginia
Clary. the courts social service
director. and Miss Glare Fagrie.
supervisor Of probation. told the
judge her methods confiicted with
the basic philosophy Of the Juve-
nile Court act.
Commitments Criticized.
From other sources have come
complaints that the number Of
commitments Of boys to the Ma
tional Training School has shown
an abrupt increase under Judge
Cockrill's administration. that on
some occasions she has brushed
aside the recommendations Of
probation officers and that her
treatment Of juvenile offenders
has been unnecessarily harsh in q
court established by law to re-
habilitate rather than simply to
punish youths.
Judge Cockrill said her staff
was working on figures on the
number of commitments to the
National Training School, the
types Of cases where commitments
have been made and the number
of commitments that ran counter
to the recommendation of the
social workers.
She said she did not know at
this point whether the commit
ments have increased or decreased
during her nme-month tenure,
but regardless of what the figures
show numerically. a number Of
factors might enter into it.
There appears to be a greater
number Of l6 and II year olds
who quit school. find difficulty
getting jobs and are more likely to
get into trouble. she said.
Sees Injury TO Morale.
She was asked to comment on
Miss Clary's charge that she
treats cases in court in a ''puni-
tive" manner. The judge said she
didn't know what that meant. She
also said Miss Clary had never
been present in the courtroom
during q hearing.
In answer to other questions,
however, she acknowledged that
the workers under Miss Clary
would report to her whenever
their recommendation were not
carried out. and that Miss Fagrie
had been in the courtroom during
hearings.
She was asked to comment on
reports that she has kept men in
jail after they have paid UP in
nonsupport cases. although past
practice has been to release them
so they could earn money.
She said she did not recall
specific cases where that had hap
pened. but did recall a case where
a man who had been repeatedly
warned was finally sent to Jail.
AS a condition Of his release. she
said. she required him to furnish
81 900 bond that he would con-
tinue making payments. When he
could not make this bond. she
said. he went back to Jail. She
acknowledged that requiring such
a bond was rather unusual.
The judge was asked II the
morale Of the court workers was
chaotic"
YES" she replied, "I think this
whole thing has been coming
about for some time due to ad-
ministrative differences between
Miss Clary and me-"
Regards Attacks as Baseless.
She was asked If she had sent
any boys to the training school
when their offenses we're not seri-
GUS.
Il don't recall any" she replied,
but each individual case is treat
ed on the basis of all the infor-
nation before the court-the
social study and the factors pre-
sented at the time Of the hearing"
She was asked II the criticisms
OF her conduct made by the resign
ing employees would change her
methods of operation.
Il have done what In my judg-
ment was the best thing to do.
I consider the attacks without
foundation" she replied.