The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-12-28
Our Youthful Outlaws.

A very interesting address Is that OF Mr..
WILLIAM P. LErCHwoRTH, the President OF
our State Board OF Charities, before the last
Conference Of Charities and Correction at
st. Louis. He begins oy giving statistics as
to the number OF what are described In the
last census as the delinquent classes, and
then proceeds to discuss tho best methods Of
managing and caring for these offenders and
unfortunates.
The total number OF delnquents and de-
fectives In the Union WIS returned In 1880 as
about 10000. or one In l2O OF tho population.
or these little over 100000 were in institu-
lions, and out OF the whole number 1O5, $50
were children under sixteen years OF age, and
Ss.s57 were between sixteen and twent y-one.
The circumstance that young people form
80 large q part Of these offenders and I'M
fortunates is very striking. OF course, many
Of the great total OF nearly ono hundred and
fifty thousand are tho children Of paupers.
or belong to the defective classes-such as
tho blind. tho idloto. and the deaf and dumb.
Yet the number OF actual criminals or dclin-
quents Is great among them, and all the time
1t seems to DO increasing at q moro rapid
pace than the population as whole.
Here In New York largo part, II not tho
majority, OF tho more serious crimes are
committed by boys and young mon between
sixteen and twenty-five years. These arc
the most reckless and audpcious OF thieves
and robbers, and they arc ready to shed
blood. IL necessary to their purpose. The
criminal and marnuding gangs who infest
tho town arc almost wholly made up OF these
young savascs, who pride themselves ON
their lawlcssnoss. and stand In fear OF
neither Cop nor man.
They are usually natives, but born OF par
ents OF foreign birth; md wa are sorry to
say that many, il not most, of them are OF
Irish extraction. They arc. however. chill
dren of people who nre themselves in gen.
cral, respectable and hard working. and who
have sent the boys TO church and TO school.
We receive many letters from such parents
asking for advice rs to th" best manor Of
treating their reprobato sons. or OF with
drawing from evil associations those who
nro just beginning the downward path.
Probably all OF them arc able to road and
write, and few OF them have Inherited tastes
80 utterly dcpravcd. Yet, MS we have said,
they are tho most audaciOus villains in town.
They begin by disobcdence to their par
cnts, by running away from school, by wan
dcrlng at night about the Streets by playing
pool in low places frcquentcd by boys, and
by acquiring tho habit Of drinking Then
they abandon steady work and learn from
their associates to become thieves and rob-
bars, pursuing crime with youthful brnvndo.
They arc altogether outside OF the ranks OF
the professional criminals, who have learned
their business like u trade, and who are eau
tious in practising 1t, but arc body by
Themselves. and, unfortunately, n growing
one, and arc exceedingly dangerous.
Wo recommend ~ Mr.. LETCHwoHTH and
hs associates the special study OF these
young outlaws and OF the causes which have
produced them, for they arc doing more mis-
chief and making more trouble than the old
Offenders who follow crime rs n profession in
which they have had long experience. In
their audac!ty they attack people in the open
streets, and glory in n murder committed by
one OF their associates. They arc also set
ting bad example to other boys, who have
n boyish admiration for the rcckcssness Of
the outlaw, and, consequently, they gain
frequent additions to their ranks.
What Is the cause OF this youthful deprav-
ity and law!cssnnss? Il tbs evil due to the
novels aud tales OF criminal adventure 80
commonly read by boys? Has the decline
in religious faith anything TO do with it?