Evening star., 1953-11-26
Juvenile Judge
Hits Regional
Detention Plan
Fitzgerald Would
Set Aside Part
OF Foirfox Jail


regional detention home for ju-
venileS and set up it's own facili-
ties in a section of the Fairfax
Jail Building, soon to be aban-
doned.
Judge Fitzgerald, who serves
both as trial justice and judge Of
the Juvenile and Domestic Rela-
tions Court, appeared at a meet
ing Of the Board Of County, Su-
pervisors yesterday to air, some
of his views on the recent ju-
venile delinquency survey in
nearby Virginia.
He called some of the pro-
posals absurd and said the re-
port contains errors of fact and
unavoidable recommendations.
Judge Fitzgerald presented the
supervisors with a prepared
statement of his views. Ques-
toned by reporters further, he
declared statistics in the report
prove regional detention home
is not the solution to any juvenile
problem that might exist in the
county.
Money for Treatment.
"If the county wants to spend
money to correct juvenile de-
linquency. why not spend 1t for
treatment facilities. Expand the
child guidance clinic, for in
stance" he declared.
The judge pointed out that the
old jail building is about to be
vacated with completion of the
new jail facilities adjoining the
courthouse. Part of the old Jail
Is residence used by the county
jailer. Judge Fitzgerald said the
juveniles could be put in the
residential section of the Jail
building whenever it was neces-
sary to detain them overnight.
He said the old Jail building
was right by the courthouse and
more convenient to the court
than a regional detention home
could be.
Judge Fitzgerald said the lock-
up section of the oil Jail eventu-
ally could be used for detention
facilities by eliminating the cells.
Opposes Separate Courts.
The judge also disagreed with
the proposed establishment of a
separate juvenile and domestic
relations court in the county.
He said that his court handled
more than $4,000 cases during a
12-month period and only $50.
of these were juvenile and do
mestic relations cases.
He suggested the appointment
Of another trial justice. He
added that the county seldom
found it necessary to detain more
than three or four juveniles over
night. It has been the practice
to keep them at the Groveton
police subStation.
Judge Fitzgerald said he doubts
that any harm has been caused
by OBTAINING juveniles at Grove
ton. The report criticized this
practice because it said the juve-
niles are locked up close to adult
criminals.
Judge Fitzgerald said most
adults locked up at Groveton are
kept there only briefly because
there are no kitchen facilities.
He said he feels there is little
opportunity for any juveniles to
be subjected to bad influences.
He said he didn't want to imply,
however, that he feels Groveton
detention facilities are what they
should be for juveniles.
Disputes Report on Records.
The judge said the report is
misleading when it says records
of juvenile case dispositions are
not available. He said the rec
ords are complete but that he
did not have an extra clerk to go
through them at the time the
survey was made.
Judge Fitzgerald called one
recommendation of the report
absurd" This was one that
suggests use of probation work.
ers before trial Of juvenile Of
tenders. He said he sees no need
for probation work until it is
determined in court whether or
not an offense had been COM
mitted. After the guilt or in
nocence is decided, Judge Fitz-
gerald said, it is his custom to
defer punishment until the pro-
baton worker makes an investi-
cation.
He also disagreed with an
other recommendation to sta
ton police officers in places of
commercial amusement. He said
this would amount to county
paid chaperones."
Study Committee Voted.
Before Judge Fitzgerald ap-
peared, the supervisors had vot-
ed to appoint committee to
study juvenile delinquency prob
lens in the county and deter
mine whether a separate juve-
nile court might be needed. Two
women's groups, the SoroptimistS
and Business and Professional
Women's Club, recommended q
separate juvenile and domestic
relations Judge.
Appointed to the committee
were Joe Freehill, president Of
the Falls Church High School
PTA; Mrs. Frances Mortell of
Vienna, Mrs. Charles Pickett of
the Northern Virginia Regional
Planning Commission, the Rev.
Alexander Robinson of st
Luke's Episcopal Church, Mrs.
Ollie Clark. juvenile worker from
the Herndon Baptist Church,
and Harry L. Carrico, former
Fairfax trial justice.
Supervisor c. B. Runyon said
he Vv0nderS If nenn1e nro mt