Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-12-31
Criime.Reported
Thriving Despite
Youth Facilities
Northeast Section
Committee Is Told
Why Aids Fail

day was studying a report that
the juvenile crime rate there is
one of the city's highest, al
though the area is well supplied
with facilities for its prevention.
The area committee-a pilot
project Of the Commissioners
Youth Council-heard this re-
port by a United Community
Services official yesterday at it's
first meeting on methods for
curbing delinquency on a neigh
borhood level.
Paul r. Cheney, executive
secretary of the uses Family
and Child Welfare Section, said,
1T would appear that this
neighborhood is we'll served and
the problem of delinquency
should be well under control.
Obviously, this is not the case"
Near Top in Arrests.
Mr.. Cheney, who is on loan
to the group on a part time
basis said the area had the
second highest number of juve-
nile arrests last year of the 26
similar areas laid out by the
Youth Council.
And. he said, by New Years
Eve the ninth police precinct
blotter will show $50 juvenile ar
rests as compared to 518 last
year. Mr.. Cheney pointed out
that the area-called Area P
takes in 10 per cent of the popu-
lation within the precinct.
He said that in Area P there
are 35 churches and one syna-
gogue, 10 public and two paro-
chial schools, eight public rec
reation centers and several pri-
vate youth programs, and several
welfare agencies providing fam
lily and child care services.
Lists Reasons.
Mr.. Cheney said juvenile de-
linquency was not being curbed
despite these facilities because:
/. Church programs have lit
tie appeal for youngsters and
many churches have given up
programs because their old con-
gregations have moved away.
2. Elementary schools do not
have the stats to deal with fam
lily problems and apparently
cannot get sufficient help from
welfare agencies.
3. Most welfare agency service
to families is brief financial aid.
4. Recreational services are
reaching only a small proper
ton of delinquent children be-
cause these youngsters tend to
avoid supervised recreation.
Mr.. Cheney said about two
thirds of the juvenile crimes
committed in the area this year
were larcenies - ranging from
shop-lifting to armed robbery
The worst trouble spots, he de-
clared are back of Union Sta
ton, around Lincoln Park and
the Rosedale Playground.
Youthful Fagins.
During his study of the area,
Mr.. Cheney said he learned that
some of the shop-lifting is done
by younger children who have
been organized by the older
boys.
According to reports" he told
the committee, "theSe day
Fagins are known as witch
doctors and their artful dodgers
are called The Rats" The
older boys do not steal and
seldom get caught. he added.
Mr.. Cheney told the group
that, unfortunately, the boy
gained prestige after an appear
ance in Juvenile Court and re-
turned "a hero" if sent to the
Industrial Home School at Blue
Plains.
| The committee named a five
member group to draw up sug-
gestionS on the best method of
procedure for a grass-roots drive
on delinquency.
Would Concentrate Attack.
Most of 10 members of the
committee appeared to feel that
the group should first concen-
trate on a small area before at
tempting any long-range studies
or projects.
The five-member committee
headed by Robert F. Brooks
president of the Congress Of
PTA's, Division II, will report
back to the full group at its next
meeting January 20. The second
meeting will also be held in the
Christ Child House, SOB Massa-
chuSetts avenue NE.
The Youth Council hopes tc
set up similar committees for al
of the 26 areas. The old North
east area group is 10 be the dem
onstration project.