Evening star., 1951-06-04

4
said:
Some things are possible of
change. I didn't say Immediately.
lIll have to discuss this with the
staff before I can work on
changes"
She was asked If she would
consider any stopgap measure to
llet the other agencies get court
information pending the new leg
islation she says is needed. She
replied she would not conSidel,
any stopgap measure to let the
agencies have all the information
they had been getting. She added
that she could think Of only linn
lifted number of cases where the
information was essential.
Since this was the first time she
has had a press conference since
her secrecy order was disclosed.
reporters wanted to ask her about
Its effects. When she was asked
Lit it wouldn't be helpful to teach
ers to know the background of
their children on probation to the
court. she replied:
"You people are getting into a
discussion now of what might be
desirable as contrasted to what
/ feel I can do under the statute.
II don't disagree that many of
these requests might be very legiti-
mate. I simply say do NOT have
the discretion under the present
law" 49,
First Offenders Screened.
The judge was asked about a
section of the report on the Police
Juvenile Bureau in which it was
pointed out that the Juvenile Bu-
lreau does not send the boys to
court II the offense is not ex-
tremely serious and it is their
first offense. The committee made
the point that some of the 1,491
cases handled by the Juvenile Bu-
reau but not sent to court last
year were in need of some COM
munity service. The committee
also said the only check the police
make for previous offenses is
against their own records. The
committee therefore concluded:
That for screening for past Of
fenses and for referral to other
community agencies, the police
should have relevant information
from court records and the rec
ords of other agencies.
That there should be greater ex-
change Of information between the
court. police and community well
fare agencies. This, said the COM
mittee, would enable all agencies
to provide more effective services
and particularly assist the police
in their screening and referral.
Sees Amendment Needed.
Asked whether the police would
get this information in line with
the committees recommendations,
Judge Cockrill replied: "It would
take amendment of the law to
supply it"
She volunteered that the COM
mittee had asked for her recon-
Imendation on an additional Judge
for the court.
Il told the committee I thought
till we get other difficulties ironed
out. I probably was in no position
to say whether we needed an addi-
tional judge or an administrative
officer, but that / Isthought an ad-
ministrative officer was more
nearly the answer than a second
judge" she told the press con-
ference.
The committee dwelt at length
on the formality Of the hearings,
though the report made no refer
ence to Judge Cockrill's January
order setting out rules for main
tanning the proper dignity of court
room procedure"
Formality Described.
The report. however, described
the procedure-the formal an
nouncement by the marshal that
court is open, everyone rising
when the judge enters and the
judge wearing a black robe.
The report contrasted the for
mality OF this courts procedure
with juvenile courts in other parts
of the country where the Judge
sits at an ordinary desk instead of
a court bench, does not wear robes
and let's the probation officer sit
close to the child and his family,
Here, the report said. the child
sits alone in the enclosure while
the court hears the evidence
against him.
The committee blamed the for
mality here on the physical set
ting and procedures rather than
on the approach or attitude of
the judge or her staff. The COM
mittee found the Judge s'percep-
tive Of weaknesses In individuals"
and said her approach was SYM
pathetic.
Judge Cockrill was asked if she
would change the procedure for
hearings to make them more in
formal. She replied that "a lot
of the So-called formality" is there
for the purpose of keeping things
moving. Asked specifically if she
would abandon her black robe,
she said, Il don't know about that.
Manner has more to do with it
than robes"
The committee, while not spe-
cifically recommending that the
press be admitted to court hear
Iings, said it could see no reason
why a sound working relationship
could not be developed between
the court and the press so that
ultimately certain designated