Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-14

n,
M inal The old gangster usually begins as a
" young gangster But the young gangster is not
usually necessarily criminal simply nealtny
boy following healthy boyish instinct The city en-
vironment the boys natural tendency to oano
together in gangs it INTO criminal tendency
because there is no way for the boys gang to work
off IT'S energy in a healthy way In the country the
gang tribe of Apaches or crew OF pirates
and at it raids apple orchard and stirs up
mild hostility a farmer who knows all It's Iathers
In the city it gets tangled up with the police.
In New York there is little room and still less in
the way of legitimate adventure The gang usually
makes it's headquarters deserted cellar and travels
over the housetops armed with "beanies, which are
used hapless pedestrian below The hrst crime
is usually a raid push cart, which is upset SO
that the young pirates bag some Of the spilled
goods and make off before policeman arrives on the
scene Stealing junk from deserted and unfinished
houses is another device for replenishing the
tribal Golfers. Furthermore, the gang usually puts
the boy touch with cigarettes. beer and otten
cocaine. is then ripe for the Fag1n life IL ne Is
at all weak ductile criminal gets hold OF MIN
and teaches him the pickpockets art He is now an
undergraduate gangster and on the way to greater
crimes
The extent Of this child crime in New York may
be gagged from there forty juvenile
cases day the police courts. The juvenile OF
fender may go any of number OF institutions
and all of them are in some degree incuOators OF
crime.
Police Commissioner Woods has put into practice
the idea that the way of preventing juvenile
crime is not break up the boy gangs but to turn
the gang instinct legitimate channels. and make
boys friendly to the police
Since time immemorial, the policeman has been the
natural enemy of the boy gang Being chased by the
COP is no thrill and in itself an incentive to mis-
chief Now police sergeants in all the precincts are
telling the boys the is not their enemy but
their best friend who will give them advice and help
them out in case of trouble. The creed is being
preached in the reformatories and other Juvenile ns
buttons. 1t is startlngly unique but 1t takes.
Above all the boys are encouraged organize into
clubs and especially Join the Junior Police Cap
tain John of the fifteenth precinct was the
founder of this popular and growing order The boys
of each precinct organized into complete police
force including all grades. Weekly drills are held
when they are put through the setting exercises
and instructed in their police duties. The most i'm
portan the prevention of street accidents
by stopping other boys from hopping rides. roller
skating on the and stealing tows from pass
ing automobiles the preaching of the sanitary code in
their homes; and the putting out of bonfires which
cost the city of dollars year in burned
asphalt
After the boys are organized effort is made to
.st the narents interested held and the
proceeds used to buy regular police uniforms
Needless to say. when the organization reaches the
uniform stage, stock up by bounds. There
are already about $500 boys enrolled in the Junior
Police
OF course the greatest of this boy police force
ia that il puts members their mettle, gives
them a new interest life and keeps them out of
mischief But it accomplished more than that
Many of junior policemen come from alien homes
and bring to families ideas OF citizenship
sanitation, and other good things. Then, too some
real police has been done by the boys. One Of
them caused the of three who were trying
to break jewelry store He appeared in police
court against them and gave his testimony in a
straightforward and convincing manner. When three
members of the junior squads were arrested by
the regular police burglary, a howl of indgna-
ton went up the rest of the force. They were
genuinely scandalized
Most touching was of Sammy Fuchs,
twelve years old. He found old thrty-two caliber
revolver with a cylinder and launched upon life of
crime. The gun looked perfectly good to little East
Sders and Sammy reaped rich harvest of marbles,
tops and all day suckers by highway robbery. But
one day this ghetto Robin Hood was standing on a
corner meditating his depreciation when he felt
a hand laid upon each shoulder Turning he was
confronted by Captain Braurstein, twelve and Lieu
tenant Margolis eleven, of the local sunor police.
You're pinched" said Captain Braurstein sternly
Boys. guess you've got me-" said the highway
man. as he his Let this
time and I'll promise straight" 1t is mat
ter record that Sammy reformed.
What a man may have the of
his rounds he found a large, Irish woman mix.
ing garbage with ashes which unsantary and
against police regulations. Inspector Bauerstein
showed her the thing ought to be done, and
warned her mix aches and garbage any mores
The next day around and found her doing it
again. 1t the second offence. Inspector Bauer
stein spoke to the woman somewhat sharply And
the woman Inspector Bauerstein her knee
and spanked him, uniform and ALL
Another phase of the police work that is expected
to have an important in the prevention of juve
nile crime is the psychopathic laboratory This de-
partment was only recently organizes and threat
ened with early extinction when the city refused
continue it's appropriation. Commissioner oods how
ever succeeded in raising twelve thousand dollars
among persons interested in the work, IL
goes forward private philanthropy. but part
of the city's police system.
In this laboratory all Of the persons brought in
by the police dragnet examined by