Evening star., 1953-09-08
Pros and Cons Of the 7 Teen-Aqe Problem


vestigation show an alarming rate of
criminal incidence among our youth
This is sad commentary on our
youngsters. The FBI reported that OF
more than / million arrests, in 232
cities with populations greater than
25,000 1873 per cent were of boys and
girls under 81 years old. OF the welter
of figures available, one alarming per-
centage is that more than Is per cent
of auto theft arrests were of children
and these youngsters were less than
Is years old!
Here in our modern America, rich
with resources and with the highest
standard of living in the world, is the
ugly and dangerous thorn of juvenile
delinquency. 1t would be quite impoS-
Sible> to narrow down the blame to q
parent, to school teacher, to possibly
a policeman or some other person.
Rather the reason and the cause for
this growing problem on our American
scene can be pinpointed to two things
among the public.
The first reason is indifference, the
other reason lack of discipline with
our children and in our own lives
Unless we all consider the problem
Of juvenile delinquency both as national
and as local-a problem to be attacked
in our communicative are doing q
disservice to our American way of life.
Juvenile delinquency is of concern to.
and its correction must be shared by
all the Nation. Not only the officials
and parents of the community but
every adult citizen in the community
must make the fight against juvenile
delinquency his fight.
Unfortunately, too many Of our citi-
ZenS are of the dubious opinion that
the child must not, or cannot, he re-
strained or made to conform, and that.
in fact, he can do whatever he wishes.
This is great fallacy.
A child is unaware of child psy-
chology; he does not know why an
adult thinks one method of training is
right or wrong. In fact few children
fully comprehend the difference be-
tween right and wrong. They must be
taught.
Children follow or mimic the
examples of their elders. If we improve
our conduct and employ self discipline
the child easily does the same. Little
minds progress as each experience Is
met. The child must be guided as to
what is right and what is wrong. Rea-
son, his ability to reason, will come
later.
Modern life is conducted against
jaded and jarring background of crime
and brutality depicted in such media
as the moving picture, the television,
the comic book Homicidal methods
shown are aped by youngsters. Emotion
ally unstable children are unduly in
fluenced-and they often find it thrill
ing or an escape to engage in activities
which are unlawful and detrimental to
our society.
We are backward in restraining such
motives of our youngsters. We need
more ounces of prevention for the cure
of juvenile delinquency. Discipline Is
one such way. Free use of house or
automobile keys is not discipline, but
a contribution to delinquency. The
giving of free rein to youngsters is
another. Judges in our courts who will
take man to task for disciplining a
teen-ager for coming home at O'Clock
in the morning are either not using
discipline or they are not performing
their proper function.
Judges should encourage discipline
rather than break it down by fostering
diSobedience in children. JailS will sell
dom make right the delinquent youth.
but discipline at home and in everyday
relations can do much to make lockups
and prisons unnecessary.
The problem of juvenile delinquency
rests on everybody: the parents, the
teachers, enforcement officers, and all
men and women of good citizenship.
SOterios Nicholson.
Concerning the letter "Curfew Urged"
have this to say:
I doubt very much that the refusal
and cancellation of driving permits to
teen-agers would help any. Why should
the States give them to teen-agers?
Why, for the same reasons that they
give them to adults, of course! "a
Parent" would like to see all teen-agers
punished for the mistakes of a few.
And am sure that taverns and bars
do not receive all their support from
those evil teen-agers"!
Parents" claim that "lack of per-
mits would cut down car-stealing" is
false. Anyone willing to take the risk
of stealing car would not let the mere
lack of license deter him.
1 am tired of hearing "teen-ager"
said like something unclean! I'm a
teen-ager and not a bit ashamed of
it either!
A Teen-Ager.
The letter printed September 3, urg-
ing denial of driving licenses to teen
ayers and the imposition of curfew
represents the views of parent who,
in my opinion, has gone overheard.
Such moves would only increase the
urge to get out and cut up the town.
T wonder what the ratio is of teen
ayers to adults who fall asleep at the
wheel and have accidents.
Another point that should be con-
sidered is that Of the home life OF the
individuals this parent mentions in his
letter A good question to ask him
would be: Are you doing all you