Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-26
Police Criticize
Juvenile Court
0nHood|ums
Legislators to Seek
Better Enforcement
In Wake of Stoninq

IN WOKE OF StOnIn9
Senate and House District
Committee representatives win
talk over police problems relat-
ing to Juvenile Court and will
try to work out a better en-
forcement Of law and order"
Representative Tale, Republi-
can, of Iowa, said yesterday.
His statement came at the
close of a 2A-hour hearing into
an attack on Representative
Curtis. Republican. of Missouri
by gang of teen-age hoodlumS,
armed with rocks and clubs.
Sharp criticism was leveled at
Juvenile Court during the hear
ing before the House District
Crime Investigating Subcommit-
tee, of which Mr.. Tale is chair
man.
Top police officials testified
that secrecy and leniency by the
court is creating a serious morale
problem in the police depart
ment.
Would Unlock Records.
United States Attorney Leo A.
Rover said Congress should "un-
lock the records" Of Juvenile
Court.
Il have the impression that
juveniles are being dealt with
too leniently in Juvenile Court"
he declared. 1--WE won't know
until the records are unlocked.
There's only one body that can
unlock those records. That's
Congress-"
"Why have an iron curtain
around the results of the trials
in Juvenile Court?" he de-
manded.
Police also testified once more
to their difficulty in getting in
formation from Juvenile Court.
Capt. John F. Ryan, head of the
juvenile squad, said it "nau-
seated" him when his men ar
rested juveniles again and again,
only to have them freed by the
court.
Repeated Arrests.
He said that, since last July 1,
his men have arrested 1000
juveniles once, $50 twice, 100 to
200 three times. 80 to 80 four
times, and a few five or six
times. In the past, he added,
hundreds of boys" were ar
rested from 6 to 10 times.
The policy of Juvenile Court,
he said, is to refer each arrest
to its social department, which
decides whether the accused
juvenile should come before the
court.
The top officers who testified,
including Police Chief Robert
v. Murray, declared that gangs
of hoodlums are an exception
In police experience here.
Capt. Ryan said that, during
the past year. there have been
only nine juveniles picked up
in the area around the first
block of E street NV, where
the attack on Mr.. Curtis oc-
CURED Two boys were charged
in a robbery case, six boys in
disorderly conduct cases and one
in an assault case, he said.
December Attack Recalled.
Chief Murray recalled that a
case referred to him last De-
cember involved an attack by
a gang of hoodlumS on two men
who had been seated in front
of a hotel near that neighbor-
hood. The gang beat the men
with their fists, the chief said.
But I know of no rowing
gangs operating in Washing
ton," the chief declared.
Chief Murray told the sub
committee police had been alert
to the problem of juvenile row.
dyism since last August, when
he issued an order to crack
down on disorderly youngsters.
He said police sometimes are
hampered in handling juveniles
because they are unable to get
any information from Juvenile
Court.
The appearance of Mr.. Rover
brought a discussion of a law he
prepared to give the United
States attorney power to say
when older juveniles should be
tried in adult courts.
Sees Plan as Check.
eff some juveniles were brought
into adult courts where they be-
long, it would be a deterrent on
juvenile crime" he said.
He said he had voiced the same
views to the special Senate Ju-
venile Delinquency subcommit-
tee which recently investigated
delinquency here, but that the
committee instead recommended
a system absurd to me an
unavoidable system.
"They think the United States
attorney, who is the highest
prosecutor in the United States
District Court for the District of
Columbia, should go down with
his hat in his hand and beg Of
the Juvenile Court to let him
prosecute" Mr.. Rover said.
That's perfectly absurd"
The bill drafted by Mr.. Rover
was introduced in the House by
Cho iY.Y1noY O'Hara of the ,Illdici-