So in approaching this it seems to me that we should approach it with optimism rather than with a defeatist attitude.

In a great many, and I am safe in saying in most, instances of serious delinquency, we find that there is a serious problem at home. Delinquency is to a large extent the result of the failure of parents or the homelife. This is in no way to imply that there does not come a time when a child must be held accountable for his acts in the community. However, it seems to me that we have had a failure in the American home and this has been in the area of the lessening of the influence of the parents and the home in the lives of our children. To me this is the greatest tragedy of this century in America. We have spoken of split-level houses in the urban and suburban sections of our country. We also have split-level lives in many of our homes, and we also unfortunately have split-level thinking in reference to our young people.

The establishment and the development of the juvenile courts in America is based on, I believe, a sound philosophy that children generally should not be treated as criminals, but they should be given training, guidance, control, and understanding to the end that they may become mature, self-respecting, and law-abiding citizens. This is sensible, this is humane, and it is profitable to the country.

The juvenile courts have been created by the States and in most instances have the necessary legal authority to put into action whatever program each individual case seems to require. Unfortunately the reality is that few courts have the necessary trained personnel or the facilities to put into effect the most desirable program for each child that comes before the court.

Most of our juvenile courts are like an automobile with a 300horsepower motor but having only three wheels. Most of the courts have to operate with too few probation officers, too few clinical facilities for diagnosis and treatment of children, too few institutions for the treatment of children needing special care.

Senator CLARK. Why is that, Judge? Why can't you get enough money to get a proper probation officer?

Judge NOYES. It is very difficult, Senator, for many of our administrative and legislative bodies to understand the need for providing money for services to people. It is much easier to get roads built and buildings than it is to obtain money to give services directly to individuals.

Senator CLARK. In your judgment, if you had more money would you have any difficulty in obtaining qualified workers?

Judge NOYES. Yes, because we do not have in the United States a sufficient number of trained people in the various fields of child welfare.

I believe it is the responsibility of the local communities and the States to meet financially the need of supplying these facilities. However, there are areas in the broad field of juvenile delinquency that need to be explored by professionally trained and competent persons. To mention a few of these areas I might state that we need to know what kind of training a probation officer should have and where and how this training can be obtained.

What facilities should be within structure of the court itself? How can the courts, especially in rural areas, secure basic services for the

child who is delinquent and also for the child who is not yet delinquent but is indicating the need for preventive services? What are the most effective techniques of marshaling community resources to fill the lacks and gaps in the delinquency program? What are the proper areas for public and private agencies in giving services to delinquent children and their families also? What are the needs as to the types of juvenile institutions and what kind of program should they administer, with particular emphasis upon the institution for children having serious emotional and character disorders?

In addition, it would be appropriate to consider and study the methods of selecting judges for this highly specialized and important court. Also what qualifications and training should these men have?

No one is more conscious of the need for special training than the judges themselves. In this connection, it may be interesting to know that for some 4 years the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges, through the Juvenile Court Foundation and under the leadership of Judge Gustav Schramm, of Pittsburgh, has organized an Institute for Juvenile Court Judges. The institute's program is a week's workshop in the setting of the Pittsburgh juvenile court.

Twenty judges from different areas of the United States are given a fellowship to come to each workshop. These fellowships are financed by the Grand Lodge of Masons of Pennsylvania. There have been 8 sessions of the institute and over 300 judges have received this training. At least one judge from every State except Alaska has attended the institute.

Senator CLARK. I think you are familiar with our problem in that regard in the District of Columbia, Judge?

Judge NOYES. Yes.

Senator CLARK. Which I hope is going to result in our getting two additional really qualified judges to help out with the very serious problem right here in Washington.

Judge NOYES. Yes; I have heard of that for some time.

This institute has been responsible for other institutes of a similar nature to be held. For 4 years in Blue Ridge, N.C., the judges of the southeastern and border States have held institutes each year. The judges of the Mountain States in the West have had two institutes. And the judges of Florida have also held workshops of this type.

The annual conferences of the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges we find to be really a workshop session.

These are examples of the real effort on the part of the judiciary to meet this challenge of our times.

I am convinced that there is an area for the participation by the Federal Government in this national problem of juvenile delinquency, and that appropriation of funds as proposed by the bills in question is one way that the Federal Government could be effective.

Senator CLARK. How do you meet the argument that this is primarily a local matter and that the States should then move in, and that really this is no part of the function of the Federal Government? Judge NOYES. I do not propose that the Federal Government move into the actual administration of the programs, but should have and could have pilot studies and projects to demonstrate methods and techniques of dealing with the various phases of delinquency.

Senator CLARK. Why can't these things be done with local tax money at the local level?

Judge NOYES. It can be done, Senator Clark, but I think history has shown that it is very difficult to get the localities to appropriate money for this purpose. This has been demonstrated time and again in other phases of our national life.

Senator CLARK. The theory would be, however, that since we live. in a democracy, if the local citizens don't want to do it, why should the Federal Government impose itself on them and indirectly tax them for something they don't want done?

Judge NOYES. I understand that proposition, but I think the people would want it done. You have locally the same things that go on as you have at the national level. You have people that want to go forward and to make the research projects and studies and spend money for this and that purpose, and then you have people on the other hand who say, "Well, we cannot afford it. Where are you going to get the money?"

Also, when you have it done on a local basis it does not have the effect throughout the country that a national project would have.

Senator CLARK. The thing that concerns me is whether, if you put up to the American people a poll, "Are you willing to have your taxes increased in order to provide more money to combat juvenile delinquency?"-I would have no views of my own as to how that would come out. But I would be a little concerned about

Judge NOYES. I think it would be dependent upon how it were given to the people in the way of the question. If the people knew how much money it cost to fail to do the things we should do, I think they would be quite willing that we go forward.

Senator CLARK. I think that is an excellent point.

Judge NOYES. In this connection I might suggest, Senator, that we have at the national level for many years had such projects. In public health, agriculture, business, industry, public roads, housing, and conservation of our natural resources. Certainly, it is time that the Federal Government get in the direction of taking an interest, in putting its energy and money toward the conservation of the most valuable resource, and that is our children.

Many of these children who are delinquent are socially sick children. They are just as handicapped as the physically handicapped and disabled child. So it seems that there is a proper area for the Federal Government to take an interest in this whole problem, that this is not a job alone for local communities or States but it is a job for all of the government, each having its place; the local, the State, and the National Governments.

If we can do this, working toward the common goal so that we can give each child of each generation the opportunity to fulfill his potentials in a free America, we will insure much more the hope of a free world.

Senator CLARK. Thank you very much, Judge.

Have you had a chance to take a look at any of these bills?
Judge NOYES. Yes, sir.

Senator CLARK. Do you have any one or another that you think is desirable or would you think the committee ought to put them together and come out with some other?

Judge NOYES. I am most familiar with the House bill that Mr. Elliott's subcommittee had hearings on recently, where they proposed

that it be I think an allocation of $5 million a year for 5 years for Federal projects. I was directing my remarks particularly in that direction, of projects that could be considered under this bill if it should become law.

Senator CLARK. That bill was closely analogous to S. 694 sponsored by Senator Hill.

Thank you very much, Judge.

STATEMENT OF E. PRESTON SHARP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, YOUTH STUDY CENTER, PHILADELPHIA, PA.

Senator CLARK. Our next witness is Mr. E. Preston Sharp, executive director of the Youth Study Center, of Philadelphia, Pa.

Mr. Sharp, I welcome you as an old friend and fellow worker in the vineyard.

Mr. Sharp was formerly supervisor of the Pennsylvania Training School, assistant warden in charge of rehabilitation at the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, has been a director of the Maryland Youth Commission, and is a past president of the American Correctional Association of the National Association of Juvenile Agencies, also the Pennsylvania Probation & Parole Association. Mr. Sharp, do you have a prepared statement?

Mr. SHARP. Yes, Senator, and I will just speak briefly on the state

ment.

Senator CLARK. My suggestion would be, because of the number of witnesses that we have and the limited time available to the subcommittee, that we put your statement in the record in full, which will be done at this point, and then ask you, if you will, to highlight

it.

(The statement referred to follows:)

STATEMENT PREPARED BY DR. E. PRESTON SHARP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, YOUTH STUDY CENTER, PHILADELPHIA, PA.

Appreciation is expressed to the chairman, Senator Clark, for the invitation to present this statement to the Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency. Unfortunately, there has been little Federal interest or participation in attempting to curb the rise in juvenile delinquency. It is one of the major problems facing public officials in our country and is giving considerable concern to many conscientious parents and citizens. I am impressed by the project method which is outlined in one of the proposed bills. The majority of methods and practices currently being used in the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency have been based largely on trial and error. This is costly to the taxpayers and very frequently opportunities of salvaging more youths are missed because of lack of adequate or effective techniques. The project method makes it possible to test existing philosophies, procedures, and techniques and to evaluate their validity. It also provides an opportunity to explore and test new or revised methods which would improve programs of prevention of juvenile delinquency.

It is also implied in these bills there will be a central source of information for the findings and results of these projects. Currently, the only source of information is through the national organizations, which are not sufficiently organized to maintain secretariats to keep in touch with all the developments in this field. There is a serious need for a central clearinghouse for information relative to the best ways of preventing and treating juvenile delinquency.

This statement cites a few sample projects to emphasize some of the needs for exploration and study. These projects are not listed in the order of priority. However, projects relating to institutions are first because of the major concern of the writer.

PREEMPLOYMENT TRAINING OF CORRECTIONAL WORKERS

There is a pressing need for preemployment training of individuals who work in institutions caring for the retraining and rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents. The present procedure is to establish as high an academic background as possible and then train on the job. It would be almost impossible for a hospital to operate efficiently if required to recruit personnel purely on the basis of academic background, and these institutions are much like hospitals. It would be helpful if an experimental project could be established in which a pretraining program would be conducted comparable to that of nurses training, with the same type program. During the early stages there would be theory as well as practice and in the final stages the majority of the time would be directed toward actual practice under close supervision. This training period should not exceed 18 months to 2 years. Such a project is not idealistic because for a number of years the juvenile institutions serving the Home Office in England have been conducting some phases of this type of preemployment training.

CORRESPONDENCE COURSE FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Throughout our country there are a number of probation offices, detention facilities, and institutions serving delinquent children which are not large enough to conduct formal staff development courses. Many of these staffs are not located near a college or university where appropriate courses might be available. Likewise, it is difficult for institutions to schedule staff meetings because of the 24-hour workday. A project which would prepare correspondence material for staff on the probation department and institution level would have great value. This is not an original idea because the Federal Bureau of Prisons has performed an excellen service in providing correspondence courses for county jail employees which has proved very effective. There are no similar courses for employees working with juveniles.

LENGTH OF STAY IN TRAINING SCHOOLS

There has been considerable concern throughout the county in recent months about the excessive demand for institutional space caused by the increased child population and the increase in delinquency rates. In many places the length of stay in the traditional training schools for delinquent children has been reduced. Initially there was question about this practice. However, there is feeling at the present time that an intense, short-term program in a training school with good aftercare supervision may have better results than the traditional long-term program.

A project which would test the validity of this thesis would be most helpful. In such a study an intensive short-term program could be matched with a traditional, long-term program in order to make a comparison of the successes and failures. Throughout the country it is necessary for States to build more institutions for juvenile delinquents. If information could be forthcoming in the near future relative to the optimum length of stay it would save millions of dollars in capital outlay and funds for operational expenses.

USE OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF

It is an accepted fact that in all types of services dealing with delinquent children there is need for psychiatric, psychological, and social work assistance. The cost of the qualified professional service is high and the number of trained individuals throughout the country is limited. Better ways must be found to utilize the professional staffs and to reduce to a minimum the waste of their time. A project directed toward this end would be most helpful. For example, at the Youth Study Center in Philadelphia, we have found the use of a group counseling technique, which involves group discussions directed by an adult person, tends to break down the barrier between the youth and the adults. As a result the professional staff has been able to establish a good rapport with the boys or girls in much less time. In addition the person conducting the discussion groups has the opportunity to better determine the children who need intensive professional services. Therefore, screening methods have been improved and the professional time can be used more effectively.