The Lincoln times., 1954-06-17

thing that came to my m n d,
when I heard a Congressman de-
liver a speech in the House last
week on the subject of juvenile
delinquency and what ought to be
done about it, were the express
sionS on the faces of 68 boys from
Newton who were then visiting
Washington.
JUNIOR POLICE PATROL
These boys were members of
NewtOn's Junior Police Patrol.
They were escorted to Wash
ingtOn by Police Chief w. w.
Hendrix, Police Lieutenant
ThurmOnd Harvell, Mrs. Lloyd
COley, Mrs. Nell Setter. Mrs.
Roy Stewart, Mrs. BOyce Har-
veil Jimmy Crouch, Hayden
Rhyme and Charles COley.
This Junior Police Patrol was
organized in Newton by chic f
Hendrix and others who decided
: ii was time to do something"
about juvenile delinquency. The
organization was a year old last
April and has already proved its
usefulness in building good citiz-
enShip, in enlisting the youth of
the community on the side of the
law, and in preventing juvenile
. delinquency before it starts in
stead of trying to curb it after
ward.
This hometown plan to do
something" seems to me to be CAL
! culated to produce far better, hap
pier and more lasting results than
a mere imperSonal one financed
by government money.
The Congressman I heard
speaking on the House Floor talk
ed about youth commissions :"
! and other government sponsored
| organizations and programs. Un-
doubtedly, where nothing else is
forthcoming, such help is useful,
but the people in these paid jobs
are mostly strangers to the young
SterS and their first contact with
| juveniles are usually after the de-
linquency develops.
No one can deny that the prob
lem of juvenile delinquency is a
grave one. For the fifth conSecu-
tive year the number of children
in trouble serious enough to claim
the attention of the police has
risen. There are 43 million boys
and girls under 18 in our country.
Of these, l million are involved
with "the law" every year. We
spend about $25 million annually
in this country fighting crime.
Sociologists attribute youths
problems today to the frustra-
tions that developed in this A
bomb and H-bomb age following
World War II. Adults today have
no real sense of security. There
fore, how can we expect our chill
dren to feel secure? They have
been brought into a world torn
asunder by war and are constant
ly subjected to the doubts and
fears engendered by the times Is
it any wonder that many of them
lose their perspective and break
under the strain?
NATIONAL PROBLEM
1t is said that juvenile delin-
quency is national problem, and
that the Federal Government
must assume some responsibility
and leadership in helping t h e
states and local communities meet
it. Testimony before a House Ap-
propriations Subcommittee a few
weeks ago indicates that the prob
lem is under consideration by the
Executive Branch of the govern
ment and the President is expect
ed shortly to send up request for
funds to enable the Children
Bureau of the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare to
begin working on it. The funds
undoubtedly will be approved.
This is well and good. Perhaps
we have let the problem go so
long that intervention by the Fed
eral Government is required. But
l am inclined to believe the prob
lem is essentially a local one and
that it can only be solved there.
believe the best place to
work on juvenile delinquency is
in the neighbOrhOOd, and the
best people to guide the youth
of today are their parents and
their friends who know them
and who care what happens to
each one personally.
CHIEF HENDRIX PROVES
Chiaf Hendriy of Newton has