Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-26
Chief Murray 10 Get
Juvenile Plan Like
New York City's
By J. Theodore Crown


Inspector John E. Winters,
head of the newly created police
juvenile division, will soon send
to Police Chief Robert v. Muir
ray revolutionary plan which
would place the Districts ju-
venile delinquency control pro-
gram in line with that of New
York City.
This would include regular
Juvenile patrols" with male and
female police officers touring
beer joints, honky-tonks and all
spots where juveniles congregate.
At the same time, the inspec-
tor declared, he would like the
power to refer minor cases to
welfare and private charitable
agencies for care and thus avoid
clogging up the Juvenile Court.
Inspector Winters admitted,
however, that this may be a
tough point to get Juvenile
Court Judge Edith Cockrill to
agree to. The judge has de-
Tended vigorously at various
conferences her control of the
court and therefore all cases
that are supposed to come be-
fore it.
VIII See Judge Again.
The inspector said he would
go consult the judge again be-
fore be made specific reeoin-
raendatinias to Chief Murra
A major point in inspector
Winters proposed program IL
the referral power. The in,
spector would follow New York's
lead and call on private agen-
cies. such as Catholic welfare
groups. the Hebrewscenters and
others, to work with the Police
Boys Club and the Junior Po-
lice Corps in directing the atten-
ton of juveniles from delin-
quency toward constructive &C
tivities.
He would like to have a staff
Of trained police officers to carry
out case Investigations and de-
eide whether to refer a juve-
nile delinquent to q welfare or
private agency, or to the Juvenile
Court.
Reports Required.
At present the court uses its
staff of social investigators to
delve into case backgrounds. The
police, except for the Women
Bureau. has no specially trained
personnel.
Should Judge Cockrill "give
the nod," Inspector Winters said,
juveniles who are not seriously
delinquent could be placed VOL
unfairly under the supervision
Of the Boys Club or some other
agency. The Boys Club would
be required to send the juvenile
division monthly reports of the
youths progress for at least
three months.
If Judge Cockrill agrees to the
arrangement, the inspector con-
tinued. the private agencies could
be induced to report on the
child's progress. too.
New Training for Rockies.
Another major change In
spector Winters will recommend
to Chief Murray is the addition
of an entirely new section to the
basic training course for rookie
policemen.
This new section, Inspector
Winters told reporters, would
instruct all officers how to deal
with juveniles. Furthermore, all
policemen on the beat would be
required to carry referral cards
for the voluntary referrals of
juveniles of two agencies such as
the Boys Club.
Inspector Winters said that he
will study the juvenile curfew
systems In cities such as Seattle,
Los Angeles and other cities. He
declared that he does not vet
know whether curfews should be
levied on juveniles or not, but
that he intends to learn all of
the details about them.
He emphasized that he is con-
ferring with persons on all levels
of agencies dealing with juvenile
delinquency and hopes to see the
District with an inter-related
system of bureaus acting to-
gether to control the problem.