Evening star., 1954-09-10
Juvenile Court
Cites Increase
In Case Load
BIumes BuckIog
On Shortage Of
Stuff Workers

Stuff Workers
Judge Edith H. Cockrill has re-
ported to the Commissioners that
Juvenile Court ended its fiscal
year with a considerable" back
log of cases-the result of an in
creased work load and lack of
sufficient staff help.
In an annual progress report
covering the year which ended
June 80. Judge Cockrill said the
court received 5,211 complaints
of delinquency against 1886
children.
The number Of children in
volved represents an increase OF
ST. per cent over the delinquency
group for the previous fiscal year.
The number of complaints-filed
by parents, police and school Off
cials-is 3.5 per cent higher than
the year before.
Others Cases Add Load.
Other types of cases which fall
within the courts jurisdiction,
such as dependent children and
child-labor violation charges,
brought the total complaints re-
ceiyed to 5,5l4. This figure is a
8 per cent Jump over the previous
fiscal period.
The Juvenile Court judge
stated:
"As of the close of the year
the court is faced with a consid-
cradle backload of cases due to
the inability of the staff to keep
pace with the increasing num-
ber of complaints and to process
them on a current basis"
A court official said that it is
impossible to give an accurate
estimate of the backlog.
Processing Slow.
The difficulty is in getting the
cases processed for a court hear
ing, a spokesman said. The
court kept abreast of the work
volume In both jury and non
jury cases, the report said.
The increase in complaints re-
ceived, however, is considerably
less than the percentage upswing
during the fiscal year ending
June, 1858 over the year before
The complaints jumped % PEI
cent and the number of children
involved, Is per cent.
Judge Cockrill, pointing up the
need for larger staff. told the
Commissioners that workers in
the Juvenile Intake Section
"have carried case loads averag-
ing 20 cases, while the nationally
accepted standard is IL to Il
cases."
Time Lapse Cut.
On a brighter note, the report
stated that administrative. steps
were taken to hold the time lapse
to a maximum of six weeks be.
tween the filing of a complaint
and it's disposition.
The jurist also reported thai
3.746 children were involved il
police actions during the period
Some were handled without re.
ferral to the court.
1T is impossible" Judge Cock
rill said, ito accurately relat,
this figure to that of court re,
ferrals because the latter groul
is tabulated in terms of th'
number of complaints rathel
than of children"
During the fiscal year. th'
| Juvenile Court judge waivec
jurisdiction to the United StateI
District Court for the District o.
Columbia in Is cases of juveniles
charged with felonieS.
No Figures Available.
A court official said the mum.
ber of cases waived in the previ'
GUS year was not available. Las
December, Judge Cockrill tole
the Hendrickson subcommittee
investigating juvenile delin.
quency that, since July of that
year, she had waived four case.
on the request of the police de.
partment;; refused to waive foul
others; had waived one case
without a request by the depart
ment, and that two other cases
were pending.
United States Attorney Leo A
Rover has said that his Office
should have the power to decide
whether an older juvenile, who
has committed a serious crime
should appear in juvenile OF
adult court.
Judge Cockrill, in conclusion
said:
"The court staff is fully aware
Of the problems of delinquency
and of its responsibility to in
dividuals and to the community
"The community needs to rec
ognize, however, that the court s
role in the solution of these
problems is severely restricted
by it's own excessive volume o1
work; the Inadequacies or COM
munity programs and facilities
available to the court for treat
ment the frequent failure OF
sufficient facts to establish the
courts jurisdiction and right to
take action.
Realizes Difficulties.
''It is recognized that related
agencies, like the court, are
faced with limitations in staff!
and facilities, but until due rec.
ognition is given to these factor.
in determining responsibility iT
the area of juvenile delinquency
and treatment, the court cannot
fully meet its responsibility.
1T is dependent upon the po.
lice for presentation of facts suf.