Evening star., 1953-12-18
Judge Cockri||
Sees Distortion
In JuveniIeData
Hits Use of Courts
Figures as Measure
Of Delinquency Rise
BY Miriom Ottenberu

Juvenile Court Judge Edith H.
Cockrill today told special
Senate subcommittee investigat-
ing juvenile delinquency that the
whole picture of juvenile delin-
quency in the District "has been
distorted"
Judge Cockrill said the Juve-
nile Court figures as a measure
of the increase of delinquency
here were completely inaccurate
because of Police Department
changes in booking juveniles and
variations in the juvenile squads
policy of referring cases to Jul
venile Court.
She said it appeared certain
that the actual numerical in
crease is not nearly as great as
has been reported and is not
substantial in view of the in
crease in child population.
Waiver Case Boost Noted.
Judge Cockrill also told the
subcommittee that there had
been a recent increase in the
number of cases where the po-
lice had requested her to waive
jurisdiction "due to the pressure
Of the press"
When she was questioned on
this point she said police told
her that they were making more
requests because of newspaper
publicity.
Senator Hennings, Democrat,
of Missouri pointed out that the
judge could waive jurisdiction to
the adult courts on her own
initiative. He wanted to know
whether there might not pos
sibly have been other occasions
where a waiver would have been
granted if an application had
been made.
The judge said she would not
say that.
But when more requests
were made, more waivers were
granted" Senator Hennings re-
marked.
True" acknowledged the
judge, "but we do realize we
are getting more serious situa-
tionS than we previously had"
Seeks to Clarity Policies.
At the outset, Judge Cockrill
said she wanted to clarity court
policies "in certain areas Of
criticism and controversy re-
sulting in a large measure from
inaccurate representations of
fact and disregard for sound
legal and social principles and
without consideration for the
courts specific responsibilities in
these areas"
She called the subcommittee
attention to "the inadequacies of
the agencies and institutions
upon which the juvenile court is
dependent for effecting its pur-
poses" ..r...
She said the local institutions
to which. the court must commit
children are understaffed and
overcrowded. Children COM
mitted to the Welfare Depart
ment for institutional place.
ment, she said, are being kept
for about two months ard then
returned to the community with
little if any supervision.
Source of Repeaters.
ut is from this group" she
said, that the greater percent
age of so-called repeaters are
coming. Also, because of poor
physical facilities, overcrowding
and inadequate staffs, many
children abscond from the in
Stitution. Although attachments
are issued for them, few are ap-
pretended until they get into
further trouble"
Frequently" she said, "chil-
dren for whom attachments are
outstanding are arrested by the
police on new complaints and it
appears that they have been in
their homes where they could
have been apprehended sooner"
She formally asked the COM
mittee to take testimony under
oath from those who might SUBJ
sequently testify to facts con-
trary to what she said.
Speaking of the "So-called
secrecy of the court" she said it
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