Evening star., 1936-08-23

II IN AN cuOIb W Icdkil tlic pIODlcHi
child" in every section from the
large city to the hamlet, the Ma
L tional Crime Prevention Institute,
Inc, has been organized. The insti-
tute win recruit educational forces to
combat vice and crime at its source,
discarding the popular conception that
social dangers to youth exist chiefly
in the big cities. The Dillingers, Kar-
pises and Baby Face" Nelson's are
cited by institute officials as proof that
country-bred youths as well may be
infected by the virus Of crime.
Children of this type" Rowland C..
Sheldon, executive director, said in
New York yesterday. comprise an
average of 26 per cent of the school
population in three mid-Western cities,
according to recent study. The aver
age varied little in 10 other cities Of
the region. In New York State sur
vey covering 26 towns, the average Of
problem children was 81 per cent of
the school population.
Much has been said Of the slum
evil Of large cities. 1t Is true that
criminals develop there. but we are
inclined to forget that the Dig cities
also develop leaders in all walks of
life. Our large cities have been cre-
ated to q considerable extent by addi-
tions to the population from small
communities. The problem child is
a problem to all communities whether
they be large or small"
Committee Of Is Selected.
An executive committee OF IS has
been selected by the institute, and the
work of eight other important COM
mittees will be correlated with it. The
official list Of the personnel to be is
sued on September l includes experts
in the fields of criminology and the
social sciences.
The importance of education in this
movement is emphasized by the fact
that SO State superintendent Of
schools already have been enrolled In
the Public Schools Committee CO.
operating with the institute. It is ex-
pected that all States will be repre-
sented. The other committees are
designated as membership. research.
police, legislation, executive. social
curricula, community organization
and publicizing. The president OF the
institute is DR.. Sheldon Glueck. pro-
fessor Of criminology at Harvard Uni
versity.
In its plan Of operation, the Ma
tional Crime Prevention Institute dif-
fers fundamentally from organizations
resembling it in name. II does not
engage in the detection OF crime, nor
initiate criminal prosecutions. Its
functions are purely preventive. The
need for such an organization was
indicated to a large extent by inves-
tigations and surveys begun several
years ago by the Big Brother and Big
Sister Federation Of this city. ma
tional body with 342 branches through
out the Union. At present the insti-
tute shares an Office floor with the
federation. As its activities increase
its officers believe that staff OF from
40 to so persons will be required and
large quarters will be needed 10 mouse
the various departments.
To Study All Communities.
The outstanding feature OF the
work of the institute is its effort to
reach all classes Of communities-both
urban and rural.
For its guidance the institute has
several important surveys OF the lesser
communities and expects to gather
many more. Much of such research Is
planned with the cooperation OF the
superintendents, principals and teach
ers of the public schools. Question
naires can be distributed, for instance,
to be filled out by teachers giving
answers to inquiries about problem
misunderstanding them not by
name. but by initials or numbers,
such details would be taken up As
irregular attendance at school, social
reimbursement, defective home con.
ditions. physical abnormalities and
miscellaneous troubles or defects.
IrreguIarity Of attendancs ct school