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.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGEROUS CHILD

Unfortunately, there is a type child, though rare, who is potentially the most dangerous individual in our community. This child who has no sense of guilt, no remorse, no pity, and all his normal sensitivities are frozen. He commits a homicide, goes home, eats a full meal, and sleeps without any difficulty. The next day he volunteers to join the searching party and is present when the victim is found. Legally, this child cannot be determined mentally ill because he can describe the difference between right and wrong. It is not unusual for him to have high mentality. Those of us who are engaged in screening and diagnostic studies of delinquent children are always apprehensive lest we miss one of these children. Because there are so few of them in any one State, it has been impossible to make a thorough study even of factors helpful in early recognition. Little is known of any type treatment that might lead to positive prognosis of future adjustment. A project in which a number of States would participate in a study of recognizing and treating this type of child would make a real contribution.

INSTITUTIONS FOR MENTALLY DISTURBED CHILDREN

There is an increasing amount of mental disturbances among boys and girls, especially those who become involved in delinquent acts. The degree of aggression is stronger in the female than the male. Some psychiatrists have pointed out that these children do not present clear-cut symptoms of mental illnesses and, therefore, it is often difficult to determine the final diagnosis. Frequently, institutions for the mentally deficient state these children do not belong there while the institutions for the mentally ill make the same statement. When these children are placed in training schools they are constant determents to constructive programs and the results are negative situations, not only for themselves, but for the other children with whom they are confined. It is apparent these children do not belong in any existing institutions.

Another important project would be a thorough study of the need for a special type institution for the mentally disturbed, but not psychotic child, whose actions have been of an antisocial nature and who needs a different type training program than exists in a typical mental institution or training school. This study should include not only the type program which would be most advisable but the departmental auspice under which the institution should be operated. This is a nationwide problem.

GROUP FOSTER HOMES

While we have a diabolic situation in that there are more demands for babies for adoption than there are babies to be adopted, the converse is true with foster homes. It is extremely difficult to secure satisfactory foster-home placement, especially for the teenager who has had a contact with the court. Often the question is asked: "How can you expect to prevent subsequent delinquent acts when the children are returned to the same family which caused their original antisocial behavior?" The question is logical and in many cases the situation is true. However, the resources in many communties for foster home placements of teenage youths with delinquent records are limited or nonexistent.

Although there has been some experience with group foster homes, a very helpful project would be to establish a few group foster homes (1) for the care of children who have been released from institutions, and (2) for the care of children who are placed on probation. If the latter placements prove effective,

it would result in fewer commitments, which would be less expensive to the taxpayer.

WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE OLDER YOUTH

There is real need for employment opportunities for the youth between 16 and 21 years of age. The advances of our culture in mechanical improvements, over-counter merchandising, and automation have narrowed the opportunities to earn an honest dollar by odd jobs. Opportunities for full-time employment for this age group are decreasing each year. At the same time, the costs of recreational activities, such as movies or a dance, have increased. When the parents cannot afford an allowance and there are few opportunities to earn money, the next recourse is stealing.

In addition to tempting youth to steal for money, we are raising potential parasites because lasting work habits must be established while we are young. It is suggested a work program be established which would provide these youths opportunities to earn an honest dollar and, at the same time, to learn constructive work habits. However, the program should be geared so that youths who demonstrate good habits of industry would have the first opportunities for employment placements within the community. A program of providing employment opportunities for the older youth is past due.

REVIEW OF LEGISLATION AFFECTING CHILDREN

Appropriate legislation is always the result of cultural and industrial changes. There is need for a review, on the national level, of the child labor laws, compulsory school attendance laws, and juvenile court laws. The existing laws have been helpful and have made real contributions to the protection of the American child. However, there has been no intense study of the interrelationship of the laws in these three areas. It is not the intention to infer that major revisions

are necessary. It might be possible to add some discretionary clauses to these laws so they could be adopted to more of the needs presented by the youth of today. For example, it might be possible to increase employment opportunities for children who are unable to profit by school experiences.

EARLY RECOGNITION OF DELINQUENT SIGNS

The value of early recognition and medical treatment of children with behavior problems leading to delinquency is not questioned. Logically, recognition would be the responsibility of the school system because any good teacher is able to identify children who need studies. Adequate community resources, such as child guidance clinics, child placement services, and other medical and mental facilities for the care of these children would be required. An intensive project in some community to test the effectiveness of such a program would be of great help to all communities of our country.

THE PROBLEM FAMILY

Studies have shown that in most every community there are a few families who make the greatest contribution to the problems of delinquency and crime and who need economic support. We must find better methods to reduce the community contamination caused by these families.

MIGRATORY GROUPS

It is almost axiomatic that the highest rate of delinquency occurs in the newest migratory group in the lowest economic level, regardless of race. We have never succeeded in conducting an effective orientation program for migratory groups which would result in reducing their antisocial behavior. It is important to establish better methods and techniques in this area and thus reduce the incident of juvenile delinquency among these people.

PREPARATION FOR LIVING IN HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS

Many people forget that it takes almost a generation for families to learn to live in new environments. Therefore, there is considerable criticism about the amount of delinquency committed by residents of housing projects. It is inevitable that there will be delinquency in these areas until better methods are established to prepare families moving into and for the initial period of living in housing projects. Such research would have great value.

The above projects are listed as examples. It is sincerely hoped that legislation will soon be enacted to aid in the solution of some of these problems. Thank you for your consideration.

Mr. SHARP. A couple of highlights I would like to mention first, Senator Clark-and it is like old times with you as chairman here, as we had in the Youth Service Board in Philadelphia.

First, I would like to mention that not only the fact of the numerical number of children that are now being involved in delinquency and

will, if this snowball keeps rolling, but also the type of delinquency in which they engage.

As you know from my past history, I worked in both the adult field and the juvenile field, and we used to think that, for example, a bank robber was on a higher echelon in the social order in the penitentiary. I have had successful bank robbers at the age of 13 and 14 in the Youth Study Center in Philadelphia where we receive roughly between 11,000 and 12,000 youths a year. There has hardly been a time I have not had at least one youth under 16 years of age that has been charged with or who was an accomplice in a case of homicide. Senator CLARK. I think it would be interesting for the record if we stated that the city of Philadelphia in the recent past has completed and put into service what I think many think of as a rather modern building for youth study, including under your leadership a staff to deal with this problem of juvenile delinquency, and has recently found the facilities so swamped and overwhelmed with applicants for admission that emergency quarters have had to be set up on the grounds of an old, abandoned hospital. Is that about right? Mr. SHARP. That is right.

The next thing I would like to stress, which ties in with previous testimony, is the factor of migration. In other words, this migratory group generally has the largest number of delinquents. Your migratory group often is on the low economic level and it has a problem of assimilation within new communities which also creates difficulties projecting into delinquency.

So, when we think in terms of race, we have to remember this migratory factor because throughout the world this same experience is occurring regardless of race.

Senator CLARK. In the Philadelphia area the migratory group is largely Negro and has largely come from the South, has it not? Mr. SHARP. That is right.

Senator CLARK. There is, however, to some extent a Puerto Rican problem.

Mr. SHARP. That is right. But the Puerto Rican problem numerically does not amount to any great degree.

Another factor I would like to stress is this matter of should the Federal Government participate in this field.

Senator CLARK. I think it is quite important we should have your candid opinion on that subject because I know even within the committee, certainly on the floor of the Senate, this question is going to be raised.

Mr. SHARP. There are definitely problems for a local community, either city or State, to participate in some of the activities that are necesesary in this particular field. I will give you one or two examples.

First, take an example of a type of child which in lay terms I will call the dangerous child. This youngster represents an infinitesimal proportion of our population. It is the type of child who has no feeling of remorse, no feeling of pity. All of the finer sensitivities of this child are frozen. The modus operandi is often for them to commit a homicide, go home, eat a full meal, sleep like a normal child, participate the next day with the searching party, at which time the victim is found.