(seq. 85)

- 3 -

Court appearances January 18, 1940 Woburn

Delinquent child. Assault. Also in February and April.
Filed without a finding.

June 27, 1940 Woburn

Delinquent assualt. Placed on probation.

June 1940 Lawrence

Delinquent assault. Continued to January 8, 1941

June 30, 1941

Assault with intent to rape. After two other assaults, the
boy had assaulted a girl at a pond in Andover, inflicting
injuries so that sixteen stitches were taken in her face.
Previous assault charges were not pressed because of lack of
evidence.

The defects in our Juvenile Court system are:
(1) Any child over the age of seven may be put to death
(2) The court fails to protect society by dealing with
problem children before they become criminals. In
other jurisdictions, this power is exercised by the
Juvenile Court. The Juvenile Court is the only
agency legally authorized to replace parental con-
trol when both parents and school have been unable
to control the child.

Unless the governor intervenes, we shall see the evidence of
our neglect sent to the electric chair.

The important issue is for us to learn to put into effective
practice, those methods of protection and prevention in the
case of problem children which will prevent such tragic crimes.

Miriam Van Waters
(signed)