Evening star., 1939-09-03
Narcotics Blamed for Rise
Of Major Crime in Capital
II Per Cent Increase in 6 Months
AnoIyzed by Justice Association

Major crimes committed in the
District increased II per cent in the
first six months of this year COM
pared to the corresponding 1888
period, DR.. James A Nolan, manag-
ing director of the Washington
Criminal Justice Association, re-
ported yesterday. Part of the in
crease was attributed to the spread
of the narcotic habit among young
colored people.
The association reported there
were 2,703 major crimes. such as
murder, robbery, burglary and grand
larceny, committed here in the first
six months of this year. an increase
of 276 crimes over the comparable
period last year. While this was II
per cent higher than the 1888 num-
ber, it was pointed out the figure
was 305 per cent lower than the
corresponding 1887 period and lat
per cent lower than in 1886
Housebreaking accounted for the
principal increase in the six-month
period. While decreases were noted
in number of crimes. housebreak-
ings rose from Loaf in 1893 to 1872
in 1889, or 265 cases, an increase of
26.7 per cent.
HerOin Spread Blamed.
Police in various districts" the re-
port said. definitely feel that crimes
of violence and housebreaking have
become more numerous because of
the surprising amount of increase in
the use of narcotics among the COL
ored people, especially the use of
heroin. Two of the most vicious
murders committed during the first
six months of this year we're directly
traceable to the use of this drug.
known addicts, according to police,
without other means of support,
have been arrested and have con-
fessed to a number Of housebreak-
ings"
A survey made by the association
of drug addicts committed to jail
during the last six months bore out
this conclusion, DR.. Nolan reported
1t was found that 633 per cent of
the drug addicts arrested were under
81 years of age. Colored people
numbered 80 per cent of them. In
creased activity of Federal narcotic
agents. the report pointed out. is
another indication that the illicit
traffic in drugs has become more
acute in Washington in recent
months"
With better control of the influx
of narcotics into Washington, and
with more adequate sentences for
narcotic peddlers," the report con-
tinued, ''it is to be assumed that
crimes of violence and burglaries
will be decreased"
Volume of Child Arrests.
Children under 18 years of age
accounted for 267 per cent of all
arrests made for the 2,703 crimes re-
ported during the first six months
of the year, the association revealed.
This represents an increase of TT
per cent of the number of cases
solved by juvenile arrests over the
same 1888 period. There were, in
the first six months of the year, 308
crimes charged to children under
18 years, and in housebreaking cases,
SGT per cent of all the actual ar
rests were children of Juvenile Court
age
However, the report pointed out,
these figures do not indicate an in
crease in Juvenile delinquency here,
as the increase is due to a change
in the classification age of juvenile
offenders from II to 18 years, which
became effective on June l, 1898.
Increases in crimes other than
housebreaking given in the report
were:
Crimes of violence, such as ag-
gravated assaults, increased from
258 for the six-month period in 1898
to 275 in 1899, or per cent.
Robberies increased % in number,
or from 498 during the first six
months of 1888 to $40 for the same
period this year.
There were 26 murders for the
first six months of this year, or 2
less than for the corresponding Pc
riod last year.
Detection of Fences"
During the first six months this
year, A reports of receiving stolen