Evening star., 1955-05-17
City Heads OK
Youth Aid Unit
In DC. Police
Will Coordinate
Fight to Control
Juvenile Crime

Juvenile Crime
Establishment of a Youth Aid
Division in the Washington Po-
lice Department was approved
today by the District Commits
sioners. ...
The division, to be composed
of the Juvenile Bureau. the
Women's Bureau and the Boys
Activities Bureau, will be headed
by Inspector John e. Winters.
Establishment Of the new d.
vision was recommended on
March IA by Police Chief Rob-
ert v. Murray.
A proposed police general Or
der said the new divisions head
shall be charged with the re-
sponsibility of directing and CO.
ordinating all efforts of the de-
pertinent in combating juvenile
delinquency and conditions con-
ducsive to delinquency which
properly come within the SCOPE
of the duties of the Metropoli-
tan Police Department"
Proposed Purposes
The order said the purpose OF
the division will be to:
/. Proceed through to DISPOSE
ton all juvenile matters coming
to the attention of the police.
2. Maintain complete records
relating to juvenile matters.
8. Coordinate a preventive
program within the department.
The order also declared, "In
addition to conducting investi-
cation of offenses the Youth Aid
Division shall:
Investigate family offenses
such as neglect, abuse or aban-
doment.
2. Investigate adults contrib
uting to the delinquency of juve-
niles.
3. Cooperate with the De-,
partment of Work Permits and
School Attendance in the in
vestigation of violations of the
child labor laws.
4. Assist the Morals Division
In the investigation Of possess
sion or sale of obscene or porno-
graphic material where juveniles
are involved.
5. Investigate bicycle thefts.
g. Investigate violation OF
compulsory education laws in
cooperation with the Depart
ment of Work Permits and
School Attendance.
Z. Investigate juvenile gang
conditions.
8. Investigate juveniles habit
ually truant from home.
9. Investigate all juvenile alb
sconders from institutions and,
wherever possible, cause their
apprehension"
Separate Divisions
The order said the Juvenile
Bureau shall handle "all matters
relating to male juveniles COM
ing into contact with the police. =
Female juveniles are to be under
the jurisdiction of the Women's
Bureau. which will continue its
present responsibilities concern
ing adult women.
The Women's Bureau, how
ever. was ordered to "partici-
pate in and cooperate with the
patrol unit of the Juvenile Bu-
reau." The order also specified
that the Women's Bureau "shall
be represented in the screening
of all cases involving boys under
the age of IL years."
The boys activities bureau is
to arrange for lectures on ju-
venile delinquency before boys
assemblies. The order set forth
this statement of departmental
policy.
"It is felt that it may be pos
sible. through tactful and con-
siderate treatment. by means OF
conversation and cooperation
with parents and by securing
assistance from members of the
Youth Aid Division, to keer
many juveniles out of police Gus
tody and avoid creating records
for such juveniles, and. to this
end. it is directed that every
member of the department use
all remedial influence he can
bring to bear before exercising
the power of arrest in the case
of any Juvenile.
"In the event all remedial
means have been exhausted, OF
the age of the juvenile and the
nature of the offense makes II
manifestly unwise to refrain
from an arrest, every means al
the disposal of the investigating
officer and the police depart
ment shall be utilized promptly
to complete the investigation
and report to the Juvenile Court
to notify the parents or guard
ians, and to effect a prompt re.
lease of the juvenile to such
parents or guardians"