Evening star., 1954-01-15
Senator Warns
0fSteadyRis
In Delinquency
Hendrickson Cites
80 Pct. Increase;
Asks More Funds
BY Miriam Gutenberg

Senator HendrickSon, Repub-
lican, of New Jersey warned to-
day that the Nation is waging a
losing battle against juvenile
delinquency.
The chairman of the Senate
Juvenile Delinquency Subcom-
mittee, in a speech prepared for
delivery to the Senate this after
noon, declared that the evidence
his subcommittee has received
establishes conclusively that
juvenile delinquency is a prob
lem Of sharply increasing sever
ity." He warned that younger
children in larger numbers are
becoming involved in serious
crime.
Senator Hendrickson called for
adoption of his request to extend
the life of his subcommittee
from January 81 of this year
until January 81 of next year
and provide an additional
$175.000.
Cites 80 Per Cent Increase.
He reported that measured in
terms of offenders in Juvenile
Court, juvenile delinquency has
increased by almost 80 per cent
between 1948 and 1882.
During 1852. he noted. 81 per
cent of all persons arrested for
robbery, Al per cent of all ar
rests for larceny. SO per cent of
arrests for auto theft and 35
per cent of all persons arrested
for rape were under 81 years of
age.
Senator Hendricks put major
emphasis on the threats of in
creased drug addiction by young
people and juvenile gang war;
fare.
Subcommittee testimony, he
said. indicates that heroin, which
he referred to as "the drug which
has enslaved thousands of young
Americans" is being methodical-
ly produced and poured into the
worlds market by Red China.
Blames Reds for Dope.
This Red tide of dope has
reached our West Coast and is
moving eastward" he warned.
"We have received testimony
that New York has today an
estimated $500 juvenile addicts
and this city has not yet been
hit by the tide from the Far
East"
He added that no lesssthan 8
per cent of the children coming
into juvenile courts in Los An
geles County have had contact
with narcotics and 80 to 80 per
cent of all Latin American boys
appearing in Denver's juvenile
court have had such contact.
He acknowledged that the ex-
perts disagree on the size Of the
problem. but added that total
evidence indicates that during
the past five years, there has
been an increase in drug viola
tions by juveniles in the major
ity Of our large urban centers."
Concerned for Future.
He said the. subcommittee is
more concerned about increased
Communist production of drugs
and its effect on the Nation in
the next few years than it is
about the current narcotic
situation. He said the sub
committee is also now studying
proposals to give better protec-
ton for young people from the
evil practice of barbiturates
sales by unprincipled druggists.
AS for juvenile gangs. he said
this problem was not restricted
to big cities. Hequoted a letter
from a police official in a small
city in the State of Washington
reporting that numerous dan
gerouS weapons. which include
whips made from car battery
cables and car fan belts. along
with a large collection of as
sorted knives and home made
20 pistol or two. have been
seized" from gangs.
From responses to 5000 let
ters sent out by the subcommit-
tee, Senator Hendrickson said
the subcommittee had reports
of increased school drop-outs,
increased truancy, increased use
Of alcohol by Juveniles and an
increase in almost every form of
delinquent conduct.
He said the evidence indicates
that I'VE as society have been
deficient in developing and en-
forcing the laws necessary to
better protect children from de-
linquency. We have been equally
deficient in developing the ma
chinery necessary to giving help
to children in trouble"
Told Of "Repeaters."
Senator Hen6rickSonS COM
mittee was told yesterday that
the high percentage of paroled
juvenile offenders who must be
returned to Federal institutions
was one of the reasons for en-
actment of the Youth Correc-
tionS Act.
DR.. Paul Tappen, chairman Of
the Federal Parole Board, said
it Is clear that not only q rela-
lively large number Of youths
violate Federal laws but also
that they are an unstable group
Of repeaters who need special
treatment and careful release
practices. This special treat
ment is what the Federal Gov
eminent hopes to accomplish
through the Youth Corrections
Act, now being put in operation.
DR.. Tappen gave a number of
reasons why 49 per cent Of the