Evening star., 1932-11-18
YOUTH IS LEADING
FACTOR IN CRIME
U. S. Investigation Bureau
Reports Analysis of Eight
Months Records.
BY REX COLLIER.

Youth played major role in the real
Me melodrama of crime during the
past eight months, with the youngster
Of 10 holding the dubious distinction of
spotlight honors, according to a sta
tistical analysis of crime records just
completed by the United States Bureau
Of Investigation.
Theft was the most prevalent crime,
forming the basis for 1873 per cent OF
the more than 200, 900 arrests reported
to the bureau during the period by
police Of the Nation. Disorderly con-
duct and vagrancy accounted for 1913
per cent of the total and burglary for
10.2. Murder was responsible for less
than per cent of the arrests.
Approximately AZ per cent of the
criminals for whom fingerprints were
recorded were 'repeaters." In tabulat-
ing this percentage, fingerprints received
from penal institutions as well as from
police departments were included.
The analysis showed drug-law vio-
lators constitute 54.8 per cent of those
with previous police records. Forgery
and counterfeiting are crimes next most
prevalent among "repeaters," to the ex-
tent of AZ per cent. The offense most
rarely repeated is driving while intoxi-
Gated.
32,2S7 Under 20.
Tabulating the criminals by age 1t
was found that 32,287 persons arrested
during the eight months were under 20.
This group constituted about l6 per
cent Of the entire number of arrests.
Fingerprints were received for 49,048
persons whose ages ranged from 20 to
"a years, inclusive, and this age group
formed 235 per cent of the total.
OF those taken into custody for rob-
berry, about 81 per cent were under 20,
while 3l5 per cent of those arrested
for burglary had not yet reached 20.
The number under 20 arrested for auto
mobile theft was 3,066, or IL per cent
Of the total.
Among those arrested whose ages
were less than 25, the youths of 10 led
in number, with total of 1926, or
slightly more than per cent of the en-
tire number Of arrests.
A little more than 10 per cent of all
arrests reported we're Of persons under
19 More than 500 offenses were COM
mitted by boys and girls not yet Is, the
crimes ranging from murders to
1913 thefts and 139 burglaries. There
were no arrests for drunkenness record
ed on the f1ngerprint cards of this
group.
One-fifth 19 to 10.
Nearly one-fifth of all persons ar
rested were between the ages OF 10 and
%. The next highest age group was
that between Is and 20, with 1885 per
cent Of the arrests. The incidence of
crime by age comparison rose sharply
from Is to 10 years, maintained a
virtual level for the next five or six
years and then began q rapid decline
Six per cent Of all persons arrested
were over SO.
In comparing crimes, 1t was found
that about 49 per cent Of all arrests
were for this group Of counts: Dis
orderly conduct and vagrancy, burglary
and suspicion and investigation
Other crime percentages were: As
sault, 66 per cent; robbery and driving
while intoxicated, SIS per cent, each;
drunkenness and automobile theft, 3.6
per cent, each embezzlement and
fraud, 3.5 per cent; sex offenses except
rape, rs per cent; concealed weapons,
81 per cent; felonious homicide (rnur-
der) and forgery-counterfeitin 1.9 per
cent each; offenses against family and
children, 1.6 per cent; driving while in
toxicated, 1.5 per cent; rape, 1.3 per
cent; trafic violations, IL per cent;
narcotics, 0.9 per cent, and gambling,
0.6 per cent. Miscellaneous or unspeci-
fed offenses made up 73 per cent of
the total
Arrests BY Years.
Arrests by years were as follows: Un-
der IS, 0.2 per cent; Is years, 0.3 per
cent; Is years, 1T per cent; II years
3.3 per cent; 18 years, 4.8 per cent; 10 |
years, 5.3 per cent; 20 years, As per
cent; 81 years, 40 per cent; ~ years,
per cent; 20 years, 4.6 per cent; "a |
years. As per cent: Is to 29 years. 1875
per cent; 30-34 years, 1879 per cent;
$3.50 years, 10.4 per cent; 40-44 years, |
per cent; 45-49 years, At per cent;
30 and over, 81 per cent
The information tabulated. 1t was
announced by j. Edgar Hoover, director
OF the Bureau Of Investigation. Is based
solely on records Of those persons who |
were flngerprinted at the time of ar
rest by police departments throughout |
the country.
The tabulations," he said, cannot |
De taken as an indication of the |
amount OF crime committed nor can
they be interpreted as representing all
arrests made by the police, because all |
persons arrested are not f1ngerprinted."