Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-16
Coping With Delinquency

"A senate judiciary subcommittee,
In timely report covering four years
OF study, has thrown new light on the
startling rise In juvenile delinquency
and on the inadequacy Of Washington's
and other cities efforts to cope with the
problem. The report deals largely with
diSruptive outbreaks Of hoodlumism in
the public schools, here and elsewhere,
and the need for special programs and
facilities to rid the schools of incorri-
gibles and rehabilitate them outside the
regular claSSrooms. The findings of the
congressional investigators show, as
might have been expected, that the
ineffectiveness of the war on delinquency
by ofdcial agencies results not from
apathy or unawareness of the problem
but from inadequate funds and stan.
In the District, for example, the
subcommittee found that school author
tiles are wrestling with the dilemma of
what to do with children who have no
desire to learn and who seemingly are
bent on preventing other students from
doing so. 1t was pointed out that special
classes for the problem" children have
been set up, a department for pupil
appraisal has been established and
other steps taken to deal with the
troublemakers. But all Of these meas
ures are being handicapped by insuffl-
Client funds and lack Of trained special
lists. The subcommittee made it plain
that Congress must share at least part
Of the responsibility for the difficulties
encountered here. 1t said: an view of
the present situation in the District of
Columbia school system, where 1t is
necessary to exclude students because
of misconduct, where children with
problems must wait for special classes
or services which may never come, where
teachers with no special training are
asked to handle problem claSses-in
view of this, the members of the sub
committee entreat Congress to appro-
pirate the necessary money to make the
school system of the Nations Capital
one that can be emulated, rather than
one that is inadequate in terms of
personnel and available facilities"
While Washington's situation" was
described in detail. only passing refer
ence was made to the serious disorders
in New York City schools. However, the
subcommittee said that a separate
report will be devoted later to conditions
In New York City, where gang battles
and vicious attacks on students and
teachers have occurred with increasing
frequency in the recent past. The in
vestigators were favorably impressed
with New York's so-called 900" schools
set apart to deal specifically with in
corrigibles. Such schools, the report
said, may be part Of the answer" to the
problem of disruptive influences in the
schools.
On broader front, the Subcommit->
tee recommended creation of halfway
houses" for homelike treatment of
juveniles released from correctional in
stitutions and Federal ban on inter-
state transportation Of switchblade
knives-favorite weapon of young gang
sters. (The District already has out
lawed these dangerous knives) In
summary, the subcommittee has pro-
duced an informative and constructive
report that should be of substantial help
to authorities everywhere in combating
the upsurge Of youthful lawleSsness.