The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-04
CRIMES AMONG YOUTH
WORK OF THE NATIONAL HOME AND
EMPLOYMENT ASSOCIATION.
Its Convention to Be Held in Indian
apoIis in Observation-Disclosures
Statistics on the Subject.


An address concerning the coming conven-
ton Of the Boys and Girls Home and En-
| ployment Association has been sent out TO
the governors, mayors, school boards,
| benevolent associations and clergy of the
country. 1t reads follows:
The eighth national convention of the
Boys ana Girls National Home and En-
ployment Association will convene in the
city OF Indianapolis on Tuesday and
w eunesday, Dec IA and o. 1885, Inc as
s9eiation was organized some years ago for
the purpose of ascertaining the nature and
extent of crime among youth and its origin,
and second, ii possible TO furnish a remedy
for its suppression. After the holding of the
several national conventions we are pre-
pared to state where crime originates and
also TO give the remedy for its suppression.
IL was first ascertaineo that we had IN pub
lie schools, according 10 the census of 1890,
L, 40, $50 pupils and 3d. UOS teachers, showing
that for nine months OF the year from a.
m until D. M daily our youth were under
the care OF competent teachers, ana II was
positively known where they were during
these hours and there was no apprehension
ON the part OF the parents respecting the
safety of their children from the opening
until the closing of the schools for the day.
There is no accounting, however, for many
thousand of them from the closing OF the
school in the afternoon until the opening the
next morning except 1t was known that
muIt1tuQeS OF them were on the streets VI
cities, Towns and villages at all hours or
the night exposed to the vile and contami-
mating influence of vicious men and women
and criminal classes generally. 1t Is UNI
versally acknowledged by those who are
competent to judge that all crimes with Few
exceptions are Matched out after nlghuall,
and under the influences of late hours on
the streets, and that multitudeS are grad
uated for the station house, jail Workhouse
and prison, while large portion OF them
run off and grow into the army OF tramps,
truants, house breakers, incendiarleS, ROB-
bers murderers and train ditcKers frequen.
ly outraging innocent youth and assault tne
wife of the farmer or housekeeper II their
demands are not complied with. Many set
at defiance all law and are hung by in
furiated citizens.
CRIME IN CITIES AND TOWNS.
AS late as ten vars ago it was ascertained
that in thirteen of our largest cities, en-
ploying 14,000 policemen, this force arrested
that year 100000 men, women and children
at an expense of $25, 0e0 900. During the same
year in the country outside of the cities
there were not 800 arrests. Again, we have
in round numbers 10000 boys and girls in
reform schools in the United States; So per
cent. of these were taken from our cities,
towns and villages. 1t is reckoned that two
thirds of our population reside in the coun-
try and one-third inhabit the cities and
towns. With this showing 1t was plain we
were taking our criminals from one-third
of the inhabitants. 1t is in evidence that
10000 men and housekeeperS in the United
States advertise daily for a coachman, APP
prentice or servant, and they qualify 1t by
saying 'SWede" Dane" Norwegian or
German" preferred 1t is known that at
least four out of five boys and girls in the
United States are American. Now, why this
discrimination against the American boys
and girls in procuring situations at manual
labor or as apprentices? There is but one
reason for it. The nationalitieS referred to
keep their children off the streets and at
their own homes after nightfall. They are
taught habits of obedience and thrift and
system of home work. and are regarded by
housekeeperS and manufacturers as en-
tirely reliable whereas multitudes of the
American youths who are on the streets at
late hours of the night are wholly unre-
liable and untrustworthy.
Numerous reports received from the
chiefs of police in many cities of the coun-
try and read at the several conventions or
this association showed an army of youth
full pickpockets, thieves and well-organized
bands of boy robbers, and some mere
youths were arrested for the highest crimes
known to the calendar. This association
some years ago formulated series OF five
laws and ordinances for suppressing crimes
among the youths of the country; these
have been placed before the various legis-
latureS of the country ana some munlclpal
governments with request that the same
be enacted or adopted at the earliest mo-
ment.
Perhaps the most noticeable of these or
dances or laws is that known as the cur
few ordinance" which in its present form
adopted
the City Council at Lincoln, Neb. Within
brief time the cities of Omaha, st. Joseph
and Kansas City, Mo; Topeka Leayen-
ILL.,; Des Moines, Ia, and some three hum
dred cities in various States have followed
the example of the city of Lincoln in the
adoption of the ordinance, and we now
have at hand certificates from mayors and
officials of some of these cities who certify
decrease of so and rs per cent. in commit
ment of boys and girls to station houses
and reform schools. It's enforcement also
guarantees an equal per cent. in exemption
to law-abiding citizens from the criminal
steps referred to.
LAWS AND ORDINANCES.
The following is a synopsis of laws for
the suppression of crimes among youths,
and commended to the legislators that as
sembled Jan. /, 1895, for consideration and
enactment by their respective bodies:
First-Compelling officials Of cities, towns
and villages to detain and return to their
homes all truant and tramping boys and
girls.
The Curfew-An ordinance compelling all
children and youths under fifteen years of
age, unless accompanied by parents or alb
sent with leave apprentices and those en-
ployed excepted) to be at their homes at
the hour of o'clock at night.
To imprison all youths apart from Grim
inals.
To open a free public intelligence office in
the respective counties, cities. towns and
villages of each of the States, enabling
youths to secure homes or employment
themselves through their parents.
To protect children in the homes of vi
cous and immoral parents.
From the early history of this country
certainly since the signing of the Declara-
ton of independence, we can truthfully say
that crimes among youths and adults have
been daily on the increase Until the adop-
ton of the curfew ordinance one of the
mayors mentioned the return to their
homes in one year of 1870 tramping boys If
this course were universal, thousands of
youths would be saved from lives of crime.
The police force Of every city in the coun-
try are daily in receipt of letters from par
entS describing some erring boy or girl who
has left for parts unknown. Some of the
officials referred to have made a test of
kindly restoring truant and tramping boys
to their homes, as contemplated in one of
the laws herein mentioned. Officials know
that these youths are enticed away by old
tramps are victims of vile characters
who willfully plot their destruction. The
association is free from any political or de-
nominational features, and the laws and or
nothing to enforce them. They not only
lessen so and Is per cent. commitments to
station houses, jails, reform schools, but
they lessen convicts in the penitentiary in
the same proportion and protect the trades
of honest mechanics.
It is now ascertained that cities with the
curfew have no bands of boy robbers and
no young hoodlums who raid empty houses
and appropriate the brass and copper fur
nture and destroy windows It is known
that families with children are leaving cit