The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-01-20
0ES|RE TO OBTAIN EASY
MONEY CAUSE OF CRIME
AGES OF VAST MAJORITY OF
THE LAWBREAKERS RANGE
FROM 18 TO % YEARS.
FACING A VERY SERIOUS TASK
Evil Associates, Poor Home Condi-
tons and Lack of Education and
Religious Training Wreck Young
Lives. Make Bad Boys and Girls.

lions and Lack of Education and
Religious Training Wreck Young
Lives. Make Bad Boys and Girls.
Eighty per cent of ali the crimes in
the United States today are commit
ted by young men and women be-
tween IS and % years old While the
number OF crimes committed by young
women are on the increase, according
10 the authorities, the big majority Of
present day criminals are young men.
Bad associates, poor home conditions,
lack of education and religious train
ing-all these conditions are blamed
for the criminal tendencies of the
young.
No Professional Marks.
The young criminals of today carry
no professional marks by which they
NAV be recognized by the authorities.
Usually they are we'll dressed and
have a fairly respectable appearance.
Many of them live in sections far re-
moved from the scenes of their crimes
and set out from their homes to rob
a bank or commit some lesser crime
lust as a business man departs for the
Chice in the morning.
New York city gives proof to the
extent to which young men and wo-
fen have become criminals. In $1,000
arraignments in magistrates courts
there in a single year so per cent of
the prisoners ranged from Is to %
wears old. Every crime known was
charged to the group.
Environment Important.
Crime is a by-product of environ
ment," says Judge Louis Gibbs, of
the Bronx. You may go for blocks
in the tenement sections and you will
be unable to find bath or an apart
ment where there is any privacy. You
can not expect decent people to grow
I'd in a pernicious environment"
"The vast majority OF youthful
offenders committed crimes because
they had bad associates" says Justice
lanes Gropsey of the Brooklyn SUI
preme court, and were not under the
proper influences i'll the years when
bovhood was turning into manhood.
That is the important period in a
boys life"
Seek Easy Money.
Judge Grain, of the court OF general
sessions, believes that many young
criminals are such because-of desire
to obtain easy money. With bad
friends to egg them on and to help
them spend their booty these young
men and women, although the latter
are in a minority, commit all kinds OF
crimes which may bring them money.
Lack of home, school and religious
training keep their consciences from
feeling any qualms, Judge Grain says.
Many children are denied the privi-
lege of attending churches and Sunday
schools and even are able to get only
a meager education in the public
schools, and these conditions, too, con-
tribute to the criminal tendencies OF
the young, social welfare workers de-
clare.
Will Not Work.
One of the fundamental principles
Of these Young criminals is that they
absolutely refuse to do any kind OF
honest work. They loiter in pool
rooms, in cabarets and in cheap thea
tiers, where they easily cultivate evil
associates.
Many of the young men criminals
rob and steal to get the money to
buy their girl friends the luXuries they
desire. the authorities believe In many
instances the girls themselves take
part in the crimes, which records
show range from pocketpicklng to
even murder-all in the desperate
quest for easy money.
Seek a Solution.
The authorities OF the land are fac
ing hard problem in their quest for
solution OF the problems of the
young criminal Many OF the most
eminent men in the country are en-
gagged in attempting to solve the puz-
zle
A plan which is being developed is
an increase in the amount OF rellglous
training. Religious training. IN the
schools, where all young boys ana
girls are compelled to take their places
for certain periods of the year, would
reach those who do not get such
training in the churches, it IS believed
No matter what plan IS adopted,
the authorities agree, something must
be done to check the crime impulses
among the young of the nation. In
the old days criminals who were hard-
ened men or women could be treated
accordingly, but the youthful crlnihai
has brought to light new problem.