Evening star., 1944-05-09
Rise in Child Arrests
Is Due 10 Population
Growth, Survey Finds
Downward Crime Trend
OF 3 Years Reversed
At Lost Of l943

At Lost of l943
An upsurge of juvenile delinquen-
cy arrests in the District occurred
In the six months ended last De-
cember 81. which Offset downward
trend seen In the three preceding
fiscal years, according to statistical
findings prepared under the direc-
tion OF the Commissioners.
Based on Police Department and
Juvenile Court records, and filed
late yesterday with the House Dis
trict Appropriations Subcommittee
by Budget Ofiicer Walter L. Fowler,
the report showed there was an SO
per cent increase in total arrests of
juveniles for felonies and misde-
meanors over the average for half
year periods in the 1941, 1912 and
1s4s fiscal years.
799 Felony Arrests.
Contending that the increase was
due principally to q large increase
IN arrests for trafiic violations and
disorderly conduct, the data re-
vealed there were 799 felony arrests.
or "a per cent above the average
for the six-month periods Of the
three preceding fiscal years, but So
|per cent below the total for the first
six months Of the 1941 peak" fiscal
year.
There were ,483 misdemeanor ar
rests, or 1875 per cent above the
average for the l941-1943 average
for the half years, and 81 per cent
above the 1941 fiscal half year.
The influence of Washington,s
tremendous population increase on
the rise in juvenile delinquency
cases was outlined in a first-section
of the survey, which gave compare
tive figures for the fiscal year 1899
through 1943, which ended last
June 80.
Population Comparison.
Estimating the civilian population
Of the District increased from $751;
$40 in 1889 to 833, ,72o March /, I943,
or by 26.7 per cent, the Commits
sioners' study, which was prepared
for them by j. M. Nicholson, special
investigator, SAID:
Arrests of persons of all ages for
felonies and misdemeanors in
creased from 55,055 during 1899 to
1886 during 1943, an increase OF
42.3 per cent, compared with an
increase Of 267 per cent in popu-
lation during that period.
THE increase in arrests Of per-
sons under 10 years of age for these
ofenses increased only 81 per cent
during the same period"
The report also brought out that,
while the colored population was
estimated for l943 to be 28.5 per
cent of the total and the white It's
per cent, 66.2 per cent of the felon-
les were charged against colored
persons and 1873 per cent against
white persons. AS to misdemeanor
cases, 81 per cent of the persons
arrested were white and 40 per
cent colored.
War Not Responsible.
The FIRST survey document con-
cluded with the declaration:
THE war Is not responsible fef
child delinquency because the great
est number of arrests of persons
under 18 years of age occurred DUR
ing the fiscal year ended June 80,
1941, which ended nearly six months
before war was declared.
Persons under 18 years of age
ARRESTED for felonies during the fiscal
year 1943 numbered II per cent less
than for the year 1941. Arrests of
white persons for felonies during the
same year decreased 353 per cent,
while the number of colored persons
arrested for the same offenses in
creased 6 per cent During 1912
there were AZ per cent fewer persons
under 18 arrested for felonies than
during 1941.
Likewise" persons under 18 ar
rested for misdemeanors decreased
from 2,718 in 1941 to 2,578 in le43, a
decrease of So per cent. This was a
decrease OF IL per cent for white
persons and a decrease of 7.2 per
cent for colored persons"
Police Force Additions.
The report also brought out that
the police force was gradually in
creased to the extent it was l7.8 per
cent greater in 1943 than in 1899,
thereby suggesting one reason for an
increase in the numbers of arrests.
The supplementary report, dealing
with the six months ended last
december 81, and comparable six
month periods in the preceding
three fiscal years, stated:
While the total arrests for felo-
nies and misdemeanors increased 8.s
per cent over the average six-month
period from July l, 1910. to June 30,
1943, the increase over the half year
l941 was only 3.6 per cent. Felonies
increased "a per cent over the
average six-month period 1s40- 1s43,
but during the six months ended
December 81, 1943, were 5.6 per cent
less than the corresponding period
Of 1941."-
Misdemeanors during the past six
months were 1875 per cent higher
than for the 1940-1943 six-month
average and 81 per cent above the
l941 July-December period The
report said these icreases were due
principally to more arrests for traf-
fic violations and disorderly conduct.
hlnvandri, vaIInm r.he