The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-24
DELINQUENT PARENTS THE BIG
PROBLEM, SAYS JUSTICE RYAN

short OF the absolute neglect of prog
eny which shows itself in q general
shiftlessness n casual, abstract at
tention to the child. which is about
the same as no attention at all, there
are non-drinking parents who are also
delinquent. and criminally so. There
are parents who do not seem to real
lie that they are supinely Indifferent
or grossly indulgent to the ways and
whims Of h growing child.
Take the boys. Somewhere between
the ges OF 12 and is years the boy
wants to leave school: he resents the
bonds of the school room and longs
to get out, into the vorld. He arro-
gantly knows more than he will at
n subsequent period of his life. II
may be that he has a desire to help
with the support of the famiiy-this
desire is usually a matter OF express
sion rather than of deed. He starts
to play hockey.
II is right at this point that the
parent may firmly check an untoward
tendency by insisting that the boy
attend school; II argument is not
enough then force should be used;
in any event the boy must not be a
%truant. ! find that very few boys be-
come delinquents Il they have at
tended school with regularity and I
am strongly in favor Of vigorously
enforcing the laws which place the
responsibility for truancy on the
parents. II the fathers none is
taken to pay a fine he will see that
his hoy regularly attends classes.
But the parent neglects his duty.
the hoy becomes q truant. The
youngster finds himself with plenty
OF time TO spare and he seeks COM
panionship in the ever ready gang.
The gang is formed of boys probably
n few years older than himself who
have learned the mysteries of petty
gambling games and cigarette smok-
ing: they are also inveterate attend
ants at the cheap and sensational
moving picture performances.
Money must come from somewhere
for these new "luXuries" and II can
not he furnished by the parents: the
gang Members openly boast of their
ways Of getting money and the new
conner Is duly impressed; it, seems to
he the thing to steal-and he steals.
' = III NV hA'N At'h - WV
mother or an older brother. Then one
day he joins a party who break into
a vacant house and strip II of lead
pipe n small plumbing; they easily
find a junk dealer 10 take the loot
from their hands at a fraction of It's
value. or ii may he that they Will
steal coal from u railway and ell it
10 callous housewives at II pi ice much
below that OF the corner grocer.
They progress to petty burGlaries.
noldups and the easy sequence of
crime. At some stage in the career
The hand OF the law grasps and they
are hailed into court as delinqIents.
We send for the parents-usually
only the mother comes-and then.
with their child faced toward the re-
formatory they realize. In their shock
and shame. how they have permitted
him Ia stay on the streets until late
"A, night or thought little OF II II he
lid not come home at all: in short
they have allowed him to indulge his
own sweet Will, without let or him
drance. without moral instruction or
disr.p inc. They view the result.
we usually parole the first offender
Alllo llt 'uStpbN VI NIt BdiSuls utlutf
the supervision of a probation officer
Of the same religious faith as the
child unless the parents are ma testify
unfit. We urge the parents To ex-
ercise greater care as 10 the "hild's
companions. while the attention of the
boy is directed to the Boys Iluh and
the Roy Scouts or some kindred or
g~aniza,ion.
These organizations form substi-
tutes for the Cregariousness OF the
gang, a hoy Joins n gang for com
partnership and he adopts the morals
II the gang. II II IL the fashion
among his companions TO steal he will
steal. II his companions do not favor
stealing he will not steal, No boy
wishes To he unpopular with his fell
lows.
The boy on probation must promise
10 give up his gang. to be honest, to
stop gambling and cigarette smoking
and to go to school regularly, Other
conditions are imposed TO meet the
exicencies of the particular case. And