Evening star., 1953-12-17
Prince Georges
Prepares Fight
On Delinquency
Demand Made
For Recreation
Setup Expansion
By J. 1. MichoeI

Ss sNHS"oSs
A demand for adequate recre-
tional facilities in Prince Georges
is before the county commits
sioners, along with other recon-
mendations designed to spur an
all-out fight against juvenile de-
linquence.
Court procedures should be
changed, a Big Brother League
should be formed, and commu-
nifty resources should be fully
utilized, the county's Juvenile
Court Advisory Committee de-
clared in it's first annual report.
Rabbi Meyer Greenberg of
College Park, chairman of the
special committee named by the
commissioners, also urged close
cooperation between social serv-
ice agencies and called on all
civic-minded groups and indi-
vidualS to help solve youth
problems.
with the rapid growth Of
the entire Washington suburban
area" the report cited, there
has come a steady increase in
the number of cases brought to
the Juvenile Court"
One Judge for Juvenile.
A subcommittee headed by DR..
Peter P. Lejins studied the court
phase of the problem. It recon-
mended concentration of all
juvenile cases in the hands Of
one judge, who would then be
able to specialize in this field"
The subcommittee also sug-
gested that the two police court
magistrates who now handle ju-
venile cases work out a volun-
tary agreement between them
selves. It further recommended
study of a proposal for making
parole officers working with Ju-
venile Court directly responsible
to Juvenile Court Judges.
Also urges was a continuing
study, with a view to possible
legislation for setting up a full
time juvenile and youth court" :"
Formation of a Big Brother
group was suggested by a sub
committee led by the Rev. Leo.
J. Coady. It's conclusions were
reached after conferences with
the Washington Big Brother
League.
"The work of the organiza-
tion," the report said,- "would be
limited to normal boys without
serious emotional disturbances
who lack the supervision of a
father in the home" Cases would
generally be accepted upon re-
ferral by courts, social agencies
or schools.
More Services Urged.
Greater use Of present resour-
ces such as social welfare agen-
cies and psychological and psy-
chiatric services could aid treat
ment of incipient juvenile prob
lens, the report said.
1--WE therefore recommend to
the judges of Juvenile Court
the initiation of regular con-
ferences with representatives Of
the Welfare Department. the
Board of Education, family agen-
cies, the Mental Health Clinic
and the county Social Service
Department"
Such a plan could effect
closer working relations between
the agencies and the court, not
only on the policy level but in
day-by- day handling of case sit
uationS."
A system of records and sta
tistics which would enable the
public as we'll as officials to un-
derstand county juvenile delin-
quency trends has long been
needed, the report observed. The
committee recommended eStab-
lishment Of such a system and
further suggested that juvenile
courts prepare annual reports.
The yearly reports would give
statistics, comparison of trends
from year to year, an analysis
of juvenile problems and sug-
gestions to the Advisory Com
mittee.
Strongest emphasis in the
committees report was placed
on the county's need for more
and better recreational facilities
for youths.