Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-12-26
CRIME AMONG
YOUNG CROWS
So Declares DR.. G. B. Wight
in His Annua! Report
to Governor.
BLAMEs THE PICTURES
Cheap Shows and Sensation
al Newspapers and Litefa-
ture Said to be Cause.
BLAMEs THE PICTURES
,ciaL to the EyENTNls Ne 1lzls ].

Special to TIE EVENING NEJ7s.
Trenton, Dec. 26.-Crime among
the young In this State
receives considerable attention III
the annual report Of Dir
George b. Wight, State Com
missioner of Charities and Correc-
tions, which has been submitted to
Governor Wilson. Commissioner
Wight says that crime among the
young seems to be increasing aud
two of the reasons for this, he
thinks, are uncensored moving pic
ture and vaudeville entertainments
and extended publication IL the daily
press of divorce cases and Sther
scandalous occurrences. Dr.. Wight
declares that the most rigid censor
ship by local authorities should b
exercised over moving pictures and
vaudeville shows and even some
large annual fairs to eliminate from
them all criminal and immoral sug-
gestions.
boys and girls are commended by
DR.. Wight, but he says something
more effectual should be done to
induce children to crime, as parents
who send their little ones out to
steal, and base men who for gain
establish resorts where children of
both sexes are admitted. Parents
who desert their children should lie
punished, he says. and required to
support their little ones, even II they
have to earn the money TO do SO ln
ftta txsS4r h of {yfs5-
Ing, DR.. Wight says
Moving Pictures.
Moving pictures and vaudeville
entertainments when clean. and no
honest reason can be assigned why
they should be otherwise. are in-
portant educational agencies, and
opportunities for restful recreation
But this makes them all the more
dangerous when crime and dehAsing
IamusemeEts, or immoral subjects
are presented In attractive forms
and represented as smart. They
please the young, and lead them tn
think that after all. wrong doing Is
not SO bad as represented SO long as
one avoids actual and fragrant
crime.
Referring to the pHhIl tTUH pf~-
divorce cases, etc. DIR. Wight SAYS
Anoflf cause OF vice and fainor
Eality Is found In the reports OF df-
vorce cases and scandalous crime al
published by portions Of the daily
press Instead OF being limited To
mere news items, they are extended
to columns, day after day. So long
as such detailed accounts are de-
|manded by their readers. 1t ID hard
Ily fair to censure the nanars Ger
publishing them, but this and many
other forms OF evil are raising d
generation of criminals for the state
ito punish and maintain,
Discussions of HereditF.
A portion OF the report Ia devoted
to the research work which has been
undertaken In this state for the
study of heredity among criminals
and detectives. Commissioner Wight
discusses this subject in the follow
ing language:
Inherited effectiveness or imbe
|cility demands attention, and our
research work proposes to do 80
Yet a new work among US enough
has already been accomplished to
demonstrate the fact OF the trans
mission of criminal tendencies and
mental and physical defect. | need
not cite cases, but the charts made
by the field workers In research
work are open to inspection n ser
eraI institutions How to remedy
this Is another matter. 1t may be
done in part by: more rigid enforce
ment of marriage laws, by a better
|control of the sale of liquor, cigar
ettes, and dopes known as soothing
syrups. Ii the sterilization law OF
last winter shall be enforced it viii
also do much to prevent the evil.9
DR. Wight points oIt that under
the indeterminate sentence act, the
Court of Pardons Is to determine the
time Of penal servitude service be-
tween the minimum and maximum
sentence, and he says it win be an
important factor IN settling ghe
question of the fitness of the prisons
err for parole II the court should
have his personal record and his
family history before it THIS in-
formation is being obtained as fast
as possible by the research work.
Care OF Truant Boys
Another subject discussed by Dr.
Wight is the care OF unmanageable
and truant boys who, he says, are d
menace to the public. Such boys
who refuse parental control. are not
criminal, as yet, he points out, and
ought to be corrected If possible
without the stigma of arrest and
trial. Speaking further on this
question the commissioner says
"The state needs farm. home
school. military school, a school
ship or some place OF detention
where the unruly would be brought
to obedience, and at the same tine
receive instruction. Perhaps s few
months of this discipline removed
from the influence of former asso-
(CoLtinued on page =.