Evening star., 1955-02-03
Youth Is Committed
is Attorney Charges
Police Are 10 Blame

Police Are TO Blame
A A17-year-old boy was commit
ted to the National Training
School for Boys by Juvenile
Court yesterday in case where
the youths attorney, who also
heads the courts advisory COM
mittee. charged police got the
boy involved" in crime.
Attorney Belford v. Lawson.
chairman of the Juvenile Court
Advisory Committee, who was
appointed by the court to repre-
sent the boy. declared after
Judge Edith Cockrill found the
youth involved in three purse
snatchings:
Hes involved only because
police got the boy involved"
Judge COckrill Comments.
The judge said the boy may
have been under the impression
he was operating under police
sanction, but that she still felt
she must commit him. A court
social worker testified the boy
was "slow witted."
The attorney questioned the
fact that No. 5 Precinct Detec-
tive Bernard j. Panetta handled
investigation of the case instead
of the juvenile squad. Detective
Panetta testified he made his in
vestigation before turning the
matter over to the juvenile squad.
Judge Cockrill said she was
under the impression that police
turned juveniles over to the ju-
venile squad Immediately on
apprehension. The detective said
I he investigated cases first to see
whether or not a juvenile had
any connection.
Testimony in court indicated
that after the youth was ar
rested he involved two adults in
the purse snatchingS.
Adults Escape.
According to the testimony. the
boy was picked up on a petit
larceny charge a month before
the purse snatchings, but adults
involved with the boy escaped.
The next day. the boy visited
the fifth precinct station and
volunteered to assist police in
identifying the others, it was in
dicated.
A month later. the boy fitted
q description Of juvenile
wanted for purse snatchings. and
under questioning. admitted in
volvement and accompanied po-
lice to round up an older youth
and retrieve the purses, the court
was told.
Mr.. Lawson questioned the
structure of the Police Depart
ment's juvenile system and con-
tended the "subnormal boy" had
been used as an informer by
police before being charged. He
argued the case should be dis
missed because the juvenile was
NOT granted due process of law.
Il Criticizes Facilities.
Later during the day, Judge
eCeckrill criticized a lack of ade-
eddate facilities afforded here to
the psychiatric treatment of
juveniles.
A. In two instances, the jurist
commented that social workers
recommended children be kept
of the streets but that they
were more in need of psychiatric
help than regular discipline.
In one instance, a 14-year-old
boy was brought before the court
on complaint of being beyond
control. Social workers. who make
preliminary Investigations in
cases brought to the court, testi-
fled that the boy constantly got
into fights in school and was a
general trouble maker.
Although he is in a junior high
School, the social worker said, he
has the mentality of an elemen-
tary school pupil and is in need
of help. The elementary school
officials, she added. will not take
him back because of his physical
ssage and size.
Sacks Facilities.
"This," said Judge Cockrill, "is
another case where neither the
court nor the Welfare Depart"
ment has the facilities to provide
what is needed" However, she
committed him to the custody