Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-07-26
Juvenile
CONTINUED From First Page)

trict Court and Juvenile Court
judges to make these records
available.
Judge Cockrill opposed both
these provisions, and was sup
ported by several of the other
witnesses.
Judge Cockrill contended thai
giving alternative discretion t.
Juvenile Court and District Court
judges for orders permitting in.
spection of legal records was "un.
sound and impractical" She sale
the same provisions of appea
should apply here as in other or.
ders of the Juvenile Court.
Appeal Right Advocated.
On that score, Attorney Bernard
MargoliuS, who interrupted a va.
cation to testify as spokesman fol
the District Bar Association
agreed that the full discretion
should rest with the Juvenile
Court but he advocated that there
be an appeal to the Municipa
Court of Appeals.
Judge Cockrill also contendec
that the proposed bill appear.
inconsistent with proper protec.
ton of the courts processed rec.
ordS." She made that comment ir
opposing the provision of the bill
specifically giving the Board o.
Public Welfare access to thu
courts social records.
Judge Cockrill also made these
two other proposals:
That other courts should be en-
titled to the records for use in de-
termining disposition of cases
where a child known to Juvenile
Court has become involved in an
other law violation.
Limitation Proposed.
That after the courts records
are made available. they cannot be
transmitted nor divulged by the
receiver of the information to any
other person or agency except by
order of the court.
This provision for continued
secrecy of the records was also
supported by the bar association.
Senator Johnston also said he
thought this further safeguard was
necessary.
Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue opened the hearing by recall
ing his effort to have the judge lift
her information ban and her ex-
PLANTATION that she had to refuse.
Commissioner Donohue said he
wa concerned with the principle
and not with the details and what
ne wanted to do was to change a
which some people think
is intolerable and which does
handicap the agencies"
Corporation Counsel Vernon E.
West testified that the proposed
legislation would help to clarity
the existing law.
These were highlights from the
testimony of other witnesses:
Mrs. Marjorie Murphy, repre-
senting the local chapters of five
professional associations of social
workers, recommended that a pro-
vision in the bill limiting the de-
tention of children in the receiv-
ing home without court order to
seven days should be reduced to
two days.
Secrecy Is Pledged.
Donald Brewer, acting welfare
said the Welfare Board
had to have court information and
would not jeopardize it's conf1den-
'lality in any way because it's own
'ecordS are kept confidential.
Bar Association President
Jeoudtu walsh teStlf1ed that the
associations board of directors
Ices not believe the Board of
Public Welfare should be named
n the bill.
William H. Sheridan of the
>hildren's Bureau. speaking as a
member Of the Juvenile Courts
tudy committee, called for limi-
alton of the period of detention
n the receiving home to a maxi
mum of 48 hours instead of seven
lays without court order and
vent along with the Judge in
lrglng that the Welfare Board
lot be spelled out in the Iegisla-
ion.
Fred S. Kogod, vice chairman
# the Welfare Board, filed a
statement declaring that the
Welfare Board cannot give the
service to the community with
Which it is charged under the
present limitations on informa-
ion. -''''