Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-17


ard Interpretation Of the committees
findings, together with liberal excerpts
frsm the report.
ences, the Council on Law En-
forcement's Committee on Juve-
nile Crime has arrived at q set Of
recommendations now being
studied by the full council.
Because Of the unique qualities
Of the committee investigation,
It's impartial and constructive
approach. and the Importance Of
the study to the community, The
StarAwill go into the committees
findings in detail. beginning to-
day. =
Criticize Enforcement.
The committee agreed with the
basic purposes of the Juvenile
Court Act but not with the way
the act is being carried out. It
found that:
/. Twenty-Five per cent Of the
cases coming into Juvenile Court
are closed by social workers
without ever reaching the judge.
2. Some of the social workers
regard the period of social study
before court action as q time
for treatment Of the child. de-
spite the fact that the court has
not yet established Jurisdiction
and the Judge, by law. is the one
who decides what type Of treat
ment the juvenile should receive.
3. The only recommendation
received by the Judge as to the
disposition Of the cases comes
from social workers.
4. The Assistant Corporation
Counsel. instead of representing
the public and reviewing the
recommendations of the social
workers. simply provides the
legal foundation for the judges
decisions.
S. With 5000 cases to handle a
year. the judge can't devote more
than an average of 10 minutes
to each case.
Impact Not Appreciated.
These excerpts from the COM
mittee's report detail these find
ings:
Under the present system Of
Juvenile law enforcement, the
largest share of the responsible
ity for dealing with juvenile
crime lies with specialists In
social work.
~The training and background
of these SpecialistS-directed as
it is toward sympathetic guild
ance and rehabilitation-is such
that they do not fully appreciate
the impact upon the community
of the dangerous felonies which
are being committed daily.
1.-THE Department Of Social
Work of the Juvenile Court dis
poseS-without any referral to
the judge-of one-fourth Of the
complaints brought to the court.
"Of the cases heard by the
judge. no recommendation as to
disposition is presented at the
hearing except the recommends
ton Of the specialist who has
made the social study. A negli-
gible number of the cases are
tried in an adult court.
"The committee recognizes
that the Department of Social
Work has a legitimate and i'm
portant role in the work of
Juvenile Court. Obviously the
Department of Social Work is
best qualified to present an eff
tective plan for the rehabilita-
ton of a child who has gone
aStray and for whose future a
program Of sympathetic guild
ance appears to offer hope.
specialized treatment by
persons trained to- give such
treatment is q fundamental part
Of the Juvenile Court Act. Cen
orally. moreover, the program
recommended by the specialist
In social work meets with en-
couraging success and is con-
sonant with the best interests
of the community.
However, a careful examina-
ton Of the entire range Of cases
and Of the procedural frame
work in which they are handled
has convinced the committee
that the influence Of the De-
partment of Social Work is too
pervasive and that the intro
duction of an additional point
Of view is required.
Concerned by Optimism
On Part of Social Worker