Imperial Valley press., 1944-02-20
MINOR DELINQUENTS-
CARELESS PARENTS

(AktltSS PAktNIS
Everyone knows there is widespread
purchase of hard liquors by minors in
FL Centre and every other community in
the state. Citizens know it; officers can
not be ignorant of it. juvenile organiza-
tionS, seeking some method to curb youth
crime pronounce it the malo problem in
their work. Is it possible parents of
these youths are not aware of the prac-
tice?
Striking at the heart of this nefarious
business of selling liquor to minors.
William G. Boneli, Fouth district men,
Der of the state board of equalization,
charges most of the cause to parents
themselves. Said he;
" Careless and indifferent parents who
do not know the whereabouts or compan-
ions of their children at night are the
weak spot in preventing the sale of
liquors to minors" He we'll could have
added "or care where their children are
at night or whom they select as COM
panions.'
The most dangerous element in the
nations social set-up today is the law
Haunting illicit liquor purveyor. There
is nothing lower in the scale of human
activities than contributin to this delin-
we're for those who willfully and for
ain, peril youth itself. There is not the
slightest excuse in the world for such
persons to live and enjoy life and free
dom. Yet our statutes almost condone
their acts when the extent of punishment
authorized is so limited.
Most police officers conscientiously
are doing their level best to crush out
this terrible business, but only with mini
mum success They could go much
further could they have the co-opera-
ton of parents and citizens in general.
FL Centrons were brought face to face
with the problem and saw vivid picture
of results in the recent death of promi-
nent citizen who was killed in traffic
accident where, admittedly, the occu-
pants of the car had had liquor, and all
were juveniles. Their cases still are un-
der the course of law. But one person
who pleaded guilty to having sold some
liquor to some of these youths was
fined S5.
The pity of it all is seen in Mr. Bonel-
lis further statement which he made
after observing cases in coast city
wherein 10 minors appeared in court.
He cited:
Zone of these minors is a 15-year-old
are II, four are 18 and one is 20.
Recently schools in my district were
informed of the law forbidding purchase
or consumption of alcoholic beverages
by minors and the information passed
on to students. Signs quoting the law are
conspicuous in all licensed premises.
There is no excuse for ignorance of its
provisions.
His statement is a challenge to all pa
rents or others responsible for minors
conduct.
If the parental authority fully were
exercised, the problem largely would
clear itself, and then in extreme cases
there still is law unto itself which an
outraged public might be warranted in
applying.
To emphasize the widespread juvenile
irregularities and increase of youth
crime through this liquor debasement
and other causes, an astounding state
ment just made by the head of FBl
should be read by every adult in the
country He says without reservation
that ''broken homes and irresponsible
parents are major contributors to an
alarming increase in crime among boys
and girls under 21" And continues to
say:
"For the first time since we began to
compile arrest data in 1882, we find
that 17-year-old boys comprised the
largest single age group of male offend
ers during the calendar year 1943.
"While arrests of boys under 21 de-