Evening star., 1953-12-21
Chief Murray
TestifiesonD.C.
Juvenile Crime
Only 9 Coses Found
In '53 Of Young Drug
Addicts, Leader Says
By Miriom Ottenberq

by MiTiom OrrenDer9
Issues raised during the first
week of hearings on the Districts
juvenile crime-from truancy to
the size of the problem-were
being threshed out today.
The Senate Juvenile Delin-
quency subcommittee called Po-
lice Chief Robert v. Murray as
the first witness with other po-
lice. school, health and welfare
officials to follow.
Chief Murray went into some
of the points on which he was
quoted by Juvenile Court Judge
Edith H. Cockrill in her testi-
mony Friday.
For instance. Judge Cockrill
said Chief Murray recently made
a statement similar to one in
the 1852 Police Department re-
port that figures on juvenile
crime do not necessarily reflect
an increase in juvenile offenders
but rather were the result of
policy changes within the de-
partment. Judge Cockrill re-
ferred to the Murray statement
in supporting her own position
that the whole picture of juve-
nile delinquency here has been
distorted.
10 Per Cent Increase.
The 1853 Police Department
report noted a 19 per cent in
crease in serious crime by juve-
niles during the past fiscal year
and added that if this keeps up
it is doubtful that present pro-
grams for suppression of juve-
nile crime will be sufficient to
cope with the problem.
Chief Murray told the commits
tee only nine cases of Juvenile
narcotics addiction were found
here in the last year.
Chief Murray volunteered the
information, explaining he
thought the community should
know addiction is not a serious
problem among juveniles here.
Judge Cockrill also quoted
Chief Murray as saying her plan
for giving police information in
individual cases was "satisfac-
tory Under her plan. police.
would have to reach her person.
ally and explain why they wanted
the information before she
would tell them the disposition
of a case.
Capt. John Ryan. head of the
police juvenile squad, told the
subcommittee he believed the
: police should get dispositions in
all cases and Chief Murray was
expected to take the same posi-
ton.
Welfare Director Gerard M.
Shea, another witness, also is ex-
pected to put in plug for freer
exchange of information with
Juvenile Court. Mr.. Shea'S two
principal wants are information
about children in advance Of
their commitment to the We'll
fare Department, so plans can
be made for them, and fuller in
formation about actual payments
made by fathers under court
orders to help support their fam
lilies.
Questions on Truancy.
School officials are certain to
be questioned about their pro-
cedure in truancy cases. Wit
nesses nave told of youths picked
up on other offenses who, it de-
velopes, have been repeatedly
absent from school but not re-
ported to the court as truants.
Captain Ryan urged the SUBJ
committee to find out what the
schools consider "habitual tru-
ancy."
Scheduled to testify from the
schools are Superintendent Ho-
bart M. Corning, Mrs. Bessie
Cramer, director of special serv-
ices, and Mrs. Alice c. Sheldon,
director of school attendance
and work permits.
The subcommittee also has
called Capt. Mary Gainey, chief
of the Women's Bureau of the
Police Department; Park Police
Chief Mark Raspberry and a
group of Health Department Of
ficials. The Health Department
!, lineup includes DR.. Leopold
Wexberg. director of the Mental
Health Division. and his assist
ant director. DR.. Ruth Stocking;
DR.. Ella Oppenheimer. director
of the Bureau of Maternal and
I Child Welfare; Mrs. Josephine
! Prescott, /, director of Public
Health Nursing and DR.. Fred c,
! Heath, acting director of the
Health Department.