Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-21
BY Miriom Gutenberg

Dy MlHom OttenDer9
The system for handling juve-
nile delinquents here has never
had . full opportunity to prove
Its worth because there has
never been enough money to do
the intended job.
That was one Of the major
conclusions reached by the
Fifth Of Series
Council on Law Endorsements
Committee on Juvenile Crime.
The committees Investigators.
in addition to following through
100 cases, explored Juvenile
Court and it's operations and
visited the institutions where
delinquent children are housed.
The committee itself spent two
days comforting with officials
from the affected agencies.
Major Unmet Needs.
On the basis Of these investi-
cations, the committee con-
cluded the most striking" UNI
met needs included:
/. A second Judge for Juve-
nile Court. This was opposed by
Juvenile Court Judge Edith H.
Cockrill when O second judge
bill came up at the Capitol in
1852.
2. More social workers for
Juvenile Court to, speed han
ding of cases.
3. Mileage reimbursement or
Government cars for court
workers to insure more visits to
homes and schools.
4. More deputies in the United
States Marshal'S Office to elm
mate the backlog of unserved
orders for children who fail to
show up at court hearings or
abscond from institutions.
5. Immediate completion Of
the Receiving Home for Children.
Crippled by Financing.
The committee prefaced its
recommendations for additional
funds with this comment:
THE Committee on Juvenile
Crime has concluded that
lack Of, funds is an important
handicap in the efforts of this
community to combat juvenile
delinquency.
THE Juvenile Court Act is UNI
able to function wholly as it was
intended to function. The Juve-
nile Court does not have the
staff to process cases speedily so
that rehabilitation may begin.
The rehabilitation process itself
is seriously hampered by the lack
of sufficient probation officers at
the court and by the inadequate
facilities of the Department of
Public Welfare.
Aware Of Obstacles.
This committee does not be-
Neve that because of the cur
rent increase in juvenile crime
1t can be said that the present
system Of handling juvenile de-
linquentS is wrong. The system
has never had full opportunity
to demonstrate its worth.
THE committee is well aware
of the obstacles in the way of
increasing the funds available
to combat juvenile delinquency.
Consequently it has made an
earnest effort to limit its recon-
mendations to the areas in
which. in the opinion of the
committee. additional expendi-
lures will be most efficacious. OF
these areas. this report discusses
only the most striking. This is
not to say that there are not
many other components Of the
system for handling juvenile
delinQuentS which are in serious
need Of additional funds"
Load Held Too Heavy
For Single Judge
The committee, in calling for
a second judge for Juvenile
Court. pointed out that the pres
ent judge holds about 10000
court hearings year, must ad-
minister the court, must repre-
sent the court at conferences
with other agencies and is fire.
quently called on to address
civic groups. The report con-
tinued:
THE administrative problems
connected with the Office would
be reduced by the addition OF an
administrative assistant; this,
however, could not reduce the
volume Of judicial work. It ap-
pears to the committee that the
demands of the Juvenile Court
are too heavy for one judicial
officer and that the burden
should be shared by two judges. /"
The committee noted that
with the lighter court calendar
made possible by a second
judge, each Judge could give
more time to each case-instead
Of an estimated average Of IS
minutes per case.
Shortage of Staff
Slows FUnctioning
In calling for additional social
workers, the report commented:
1.-THE committee has found
that the work of the Juvenile
Court Is measurably slowed by
the shortage of intake social
workers on its staff The social
background of each child re-
ferred to the court must be
studied by a social worker, the
social workers report must be
approved by his supervisor and
a plan for disposition of the case
and treatment of the child must
be prepared.