The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1950-04-05
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND CRIME

This writer and probably many other thinking people today
frequently puzzled the question is there really
this period and generation the Nation
the world has previously known is it that modern
rapid factes keeping informed in overdoses
more than swallow?
We inclined toward the former that crime be
reaching peak and particularly in regard to certain
agegroup ranging all the from Juvenile through the
teenage to twenty years Statistics support the
that other anywhere has the
number quality of crimes henious = heares and
sonng committed by youngsters boys girls starting
under of matched those of this postwar period
There must be- of course reason or maybe than
not the least OF which is that doing almost
nothing constructive about it!
First we should remember that the recent war period
from the home front the distant theatres of action
took fathers and mothers away from their offspring many
at time when thew were most needed at home We should
further remember that while of the youngsters affected
enjoyed the freedom of their will and devices of
them found associations Went places and did things they would
done otherwise had mother fatheror both
been around say mol The complete absence of father and
with mother working eight hours in plant = plus two
hours and coming has been quite sufficient the
youngster of any all the freedom needed for above
mentioned purposes which purposes in too in
stances have bordered merged into immortality and
crime.
Again in the postwar period many mothers
who seriously needed home have been reluctant to give
up lucrative jobs while many who the sole
And yet again, many families who could and did
return to normal life have foud it extremely difficult to regain
proper parental offspring after their long
period of "freedom.''
But these youngsters today citizens of tomorrow
and SOMETHING MUST BE DONE whether like it not
and that something must be begun def1ney NOW!
believe that parents must be made to realize that their
number one responsibility is at home Father must be made
realize that mothers duties guiding hands of much
greater Importance than job outsde We could recite many
similar theories all good and proper but come to
the real difficulty How going to bring about this
realization the extent that definite results may be
democratic country inclined to Drag
about hate to think of suggest new direct laws with
regulating force RECOMMENDATION and the like but in view OF
the unusual seriousness of this problem which getting no
BETTER making and repeating certain suggestions which
have been already tried in American communities;
We believe that all SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION should
include in the cuulae definite and well prepared studies
on CORRECT FAMILY LIFE-as against the road to crime
studies should be planned make the American youth
fully conscious of his present and future responsibilities
Next existing juvenile crime should be broad
ened to make parents equally liable including punishment
for and all juvenile misdemeanor crime whatever
being subject to PUBLIC TRIAL "dead-lne" may
thus be laid down and serespecng families parents and
children - should consciously avoid t,espassing'
Finally organized universal campaign information
supporting the foregoing should be carried into schools
churches theatres and homes make the whole public fully
conscious of the emergency
And meantime all the legal forces at our command shoul
be redouoed IS an emphatic starter the above
rne s,ruat,on l. that sarous1 .sgestions.
Note: This department of The = .
appreciate further suggestions enterprise "Ouu
IN the subject.