PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1353 PRINTER'S NO. 2046
No. 69 Session of 1979
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. PITTS, LEHR, E. R. LYNCH AND MRS. TAYLOR,
MAY 2, 1979
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON RULES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
AS AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 17, 1979
In the House of Representatives, May 2, 1979
1 WHEREAS, There appears to be an absence of uniform legal
2 guidelines and procedures governing the rights and duties of law
3 enforcement officers in connection with the taking of
4 fingerprints of juveniles arrested for offenses which come
5 within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court; and
6 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Police have taken the
7 position that they lack sufficient legal authority to obtain the
8 fingerprints, for record keeping purposes, of juveniles under
9 arrest for delinquent offenses; and
10 WHEREAS, In several counties municipal police departments
11 fingerprint juveniles under arrest for delinquent offenses
12 utilizing procedures similar to those employed for the
13 fingerprinting of adults arrested and charged with criminal
14 activities; and
15 WHEREAS, In other counties the juvenile courts have adopted
16 procedures which prohibit local law enforcement officers from
17 taking the fingerprints of juveniles under arrest without first
1 obtaining the approval of the court; and
2 WHEREAS, It is imperative that the Commonwealth enact a
3 rational policy for the fingerprinting of juveniles which is
4 consistent with the purpose of the Juvenile Act, the welfare and
5 rehabilitation of the child, but does not impede the ability of
6 law enforcement officers to develop leads and information
7 necessary to curtail the rising juvenile crime rate; therefore
8 be it
9 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct DIRECTS <--
10 the Speaker of the House to appoint a select committee <--
11 consisting of five members, three from the majority and two from
12 the minority, for the purpose of investigating and examining
13 SUBCOMMITTEE ON CRIME AND CORRECTION OF THE HOUSE JUDICIARY <--
14 COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE AND EXAMINE the need for a uniform
15 Commonwealth policy with respect to the fingerprinting of
16 juveniles arrested in connection with delinquent offenses; and
17 be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the select committee SUBCOMMITTEE may hold <--
19 hearings, take testimony, and make its investigations at such
20 places as it deems necessary; and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That within 30 calendar days after the select <--
22 committee SUBCOMMITTEE has made its report, the chairman of the <--
23 select committee SUBCOMMITTEE shall cause a record of all <--
24 expenses incurred by the select committee SUBCOMMITTEE, or the <--
25 members thereof, which are payable at Commonwealth expense, to
26 be filed with the Speaker of the House and the Speaker shall
27 cause the same to be entered in the journal thereof. No expenses
28 incurred by the select committee SUBCOMMITTEE or any member <--
29 thereof shall be reimbursable by the Chief Clerk unless such
30 expense shall first have been included as an expense item in the
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1 record heretofore required; and be it further
2 RESOLVED, That the select committee SUBCOMMITTEE report its <--
3 findings to the House as soon as possible together with any
4 recommendation for remedial legislation.
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