Evening star., 1953-08-01
Approval Is Sought
For Central Registry
For D. {. DeIinquents

The Commissioners have been
asked to approve the establish
ment of a central registry for
delinquent children in the Dis
trict.
The registry, which would be
conducted by the Department of
Public Welfare, would assist in
the administration of programs
for the treatment and control of
delinquency. The identification
of children and families repeat
edly reported to the registry
could provide treatment services
and the development of preven-
tive programs, Gerard M. Shea.
director of the Department of
Public Welfare told the Board of
Public Welfare at its meeting
yesterday
Council to Take Over.
The board goes out of existence
August Is, and will be succeeded
by a Council of Public Welfare,
which will not have as much au-
thority as the present board.
Eight of the nine members of the
present board have agreed to
serve on the council, but Fred
S. Kogod, vice chairman of the
board, said he would only serve
a short time because of i'll health.
After the meeting Mr.. Kogod
asserted that he felt many of
the people who testified against
continuation Of the present
board did not know or under
stand the work the board has
been doing.
He said he was concerned over
the fact that some of the wit
nesseS who claimed to represent
large organizations may not have
had represented such large
numbers as they claimed.
The central registry would re-
cord the names of child .violators,
with the cooperation of the
juvenile bureau and the Police
Department Women's Bureau,
the school attendance and work
permit department of the public
schools. and the Juvenile Court.
The Children's Bureau is now
engaged in a special research
and information program on
juvenile delinquency, Mr.. Shea
told the board, and has promised
to cooperate with the District
registry. Mr.. Shea estimated
that once the project is under
way, it can be maintained by one
clerk.
The board approved a plan to
sponsor wards of the Welfare
Department with volunteers.
This is based on the realization
that some children, because Of
absence, death or inadequacy Of
relatives cannot look to their
families for help after they leave
one of the institutions.
insufficient Relief.
Mr.. Shea reported the amount
of money allowed persons on
relief for rent was not sufficient.
He said the maximum now al
lowed is SAT month while the
National Capital Housing Au-
thority is charging them $50.
The department is paying the
rent of 392 families.
The board approved a bill to
make uniform the reciprocal en-
forcement of support by hus-
bands who leave District juriS-
diction. The enactment of the
law would put the District in
line with many other states.
During June the department
had 1910 persons on relief at
a total cost of $622,622 a month.
In other actions the board re-
ferred to the health department
a request by the medical director
of the Home for the Aged and
Inf1rm authorizing him to under
take certain medical investigative
activities and approved a survey
Of the city's 26 voluntary sectar-
ian and non-secrtarian homes for
the aged to determine the num-
ber of non-paying inmates they
have.
The survey is to determine II
the welfare department should
reimburse the private home for