Evening star., 1927-11-04
POL|CEWOMEN'S
WORK IS PRAISED
Importance in Prevention oi
| Crime Stressed at "Spon-
S0rS' Luncheon"


stressed the Importance of the lat.
ter's work in crime prevention and in
the exercise of corrective work among
delinQuents at sponsors luncheon"
of the International Association of
Policewomen in the Willard Hotel
yesterday. During the luncheon the
association received assurance from
Mrs. John d. Sherman, president of
the General Federation of Women's
Clubs, that the latter organization
will continue to support and work for
the improvement of the various pc.
Newcomers bureaus.
Mrs. Robert Lansing. Washington
chairman for the international asso-
citation, called the meeting to order
and introduced Mrs. Nina C.. Van
Wrinkle, head of the local Police
women's Bureau and president of the
international Association Of Police
women, who presided.
The first speaker, Mrs. Halsey
Fiske, member of the board of the
New York Reformatory for Women
ut Bedford and a leading church
worker. stressed the importance of
preventive work among juveniles by
properly guiding them and teaching
them how to avoid doing wrong.
Most girls who have been leading i'm
moral lives, she said. say they began
by being picked up" after seeing a
motion picture or attending a cabaret.
She advocated that the general work
of the policewomen's bureaus be eX-
tended not only in this country but
abroad. She charged that the chief
drawback in England, however, has
been Prime Minister Baldwin, who,
she charged, thinks the work done
by policewomen is not the proper
work for women, but should be done
by men.
Crime Prevention Urged.
DR.. Katherine Bement Davis, direc-
tor Of the Bureau of Social Hygiene
and the International Association of
Policewomen, and who had the dis
tinction of being the first woman in
the United States to be appointed a
commissioner of charities and correc-
tions, emphasized that the work of
the policewomen should be along the
Hines of crime prevention and that
they should do only certain types of
work.
Joeb H. Banton, district attorney Of
New York, highly praised the work
of policewomen and declared that in
New York County few policewomen
have succeeded in practically doing
away with quack practitioners, some-
thing that Is men had been unable
to do"
Mrs. Jessie Holder, recognized au-
thority on penology and connected
with an institution for woman prison.
ers at Sherbourne, Mass, declared a
new problem is being faced in dealing
with woman prisoners due to an age
decrease for those committed to an
average of % to % years in place of
"a years. She added that "reforma-
tory Is only makeshift" and that 1t
cannot teach a community, pointing
out that it is the everyday home and
community surroundings of the indi-
vidual that count in his or her be-
havior.
James Hepbron, head of the Balti.
more Criminal Justice Commission,
emphasized the importance Of crime
preventive work among children,
and praised the work in this connec-
tion being done by the policewomen's
bureaus.
Other Speakers at Luncheon.
Other speakers included: Sergt.
Rhoda Milliken of the Washington Po-
1icewomen's Bureau, who told Of the
great number OF missing children be-
tween the ages of IL and 1s years in
this city; DIR. Mary Harris. who has
served in Official capacities in girls
reformatories in New York and New
Jersey and who advocated a thorough
examination OF every individual be.
tween the time of conviction and COM
mitment to determine the prisoners 3
mental and physical condition; Herbert
G. Parsons, deputy commissioner Of
probation in Massachusetts,, who de.
clared he wanted woman probation Of
ficers In every court in Massachusetts,
and advocated separate policewomen's
bureaus in every city; DR.. Ellen c.
Potter of the Department of Public
Welfare in New Jersey, who empha.
sized the importance of women's clubs
'molding public opinion" toward work
done by policewomen, and DIR. Ray.
mond Moley, professor of criminology
at Columbia University.
Giving what he termed causes for
the increase in crimes, DIR. Moley
blamed the traffic problem in the large
cities. through which, he said, the
work Of the police is diverted from
actually running down criminals. "Po
licemen are primarily thief chasers,' %
he added. He advocated segregation
Of the traffic departments from other
police activities as a remedy for this
alleged difficulty and in order to give
more policemen more time to track
criminals.
Mrs. Helen D. Pigeon, executive sec.
retary OF the International Association
OF Policewomen, declared that it is the
desire OF the association to dispel the
fear many of the general public have
for police and to secure their co-opera
ton in working with the police for the
general welfare of citizens.