Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-04
More Adult Trials
For Youths Urged
Congress Gets
Proposals Of
Police Officer
By GRACE BASSETT
Star staff Writer

AOI JtlelT OIIenSeS III aQulb
courts under recommendations
given Congress today by WASH
ington Deputy Police Chief
John E. Winters.
He proposed mandatory
waving from juvenile to adult
courts of any youngster, 16 or
older, accused of criminal
homicide, forcible rape, rob-
berry, house breaking or a felony
assault.
A youngster treated as an
adult criminal once at the dis
erection of a juvenile court
judge, would be brought into a
regular criminal court atomat-
ically on any second offense.
Juvenile Court Judges
Current law makes juvenile
court the judge of waivers and
sends cases, not individuals,
into adult court.
Deputy Chief Winters pro-
posed law changes were given
the Senate House District Com
mittees, sitting in joint ses-
sion, as the question of waivers
for two 11-year-olds accused of
shooting a District Government
guard Friday night is under
study by both social and legal
officials here. These boys now
are in the custody of the We'll
fare Department.
Without referring to the fatal
shooting Of the 62-year-old
guard, Theodore S. Nickens,
ST., Deputy Chief Winters
warned against treating juve-
nile offenders, particularly re-
peaters. too softly.
He noted that 43 per cent
of the 1856 juveniles involved
in cases in juvenile court in
1862 were repeaters. Some car
ried confidential records of a
long series Of offenses.
Other Recommendations
The police officer, however.
advocated keeping the present
law which permits the juvenile
court judge to decide whether
to waive Jurisdiction for capital
offenses committed by young
sters under Is.
His other recommendations
included:
Establishment Of a central
agency to accumulate all types
Of information on juveniles.
Presentation Of all COM
plants Of law violations to the
city attorney assigned to ju-
venile court. He would then
determine whether evidence
was sufficient to take the child
to court.
Abolishing jury trials for
juveniles.
Expanding Jurisdiction of the
adult traffic court to licensed
juvenile operators accused of
traffic violations.
Stricter Control
A requirement that a young
ster placed in custody by police
be either ordered to remain in
custody or to be released Eek
peditiously" by a juvenile court
| judge.
After the meeting, Senate
and House District committee
men went back to their respec-
tive houses with major legis-
lative problems Of the city still
to be negotiated.
As they finished their third
and last joint meeting on
crime problems. they had yet
to receive from the District
Commissioners all but one of
the anti-crime bills promised
February s by Walter N. To-
briner. president Of the Board
Of Commissioners.
House Chairman Mcmillan.
Democrat Of South Carolina,
was discouraged sufficiently
before this mornings meeting
on prospects for his proposed
resolution TO rescind the Com
missioners' ban on investiga-
tive arrests that he did not
even bring up the matter.
II don't know what will hap
pen TO 1t when get back be-
fore my own committee" he
said.
wants Loan Hearings
What Senate Chairman Bible,
Democrat Of Nevada, wants
most Immediately is another
series Of Joint meetings TO con-
slider the Presidents Federal
payment and loan program for
the District.
Both chairmen said they
would negotiate" further TO
see If Joint handling Of fiscal
affairs could be arranged.
This puts the committees in
the position Of trying TO bal
ance law enforcement propo-