YOUTHFUL CRIME

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 205, 30 August 1941, Page 8

YOUTHFUL CRIME

REASONS DISCUSSED

WAR MAJOR FACTOR

(By Tele«r»ph.—P*rli«EJint*ir R*porter.)

WELLINGTON, this day

Distractions caused by war conditions, with a consequent diminution of parental control, was stated by the Minister of Justice and Prisons. Mr. Mason, to be one of the main factors for an increase in juvenile delinquency when he was replying in the House of Representatives vesterdav to questions raised on this subject by two Opposition members. Mr Broadfoot (Waitomo) and Mr. Poison (Stratford). He said that this had been the experience in Britain, and quoted from publications in support of this view.

Mr. Mason said he thought it was certain that the war was a major factor in the increase. One had some assurance in saying so because of the comparison that could be. made between New Zealand and the Old Country, and between the present time and the time of the last war. The position had been sufficiently striking in the Old Country to call for a good deal of investiga tion and comment. There had been Departmental inquiries in Britain, and the English Education Department had published a report on an investigation. Authority Quoted The Minister quoted from a book on juvenile delinquency published under the auspices of the School of Social Science of the University of Liverpool. The book stated tnat during the last war the number of juvenile offenders soared to unheard of heights, and expressed the view i hat what happened 25 years ago was too plain to be ignored, and that steps should be taken to prepare for an increase in the number of cases and to limit the size of tile increase.

Mr. Poison: Yes. but the New Zealand population of prisoners under 20 increased 100 per cent before the war began.

Mr. Mason said he had other reports showing that the same thing was happening again in Britain today. The question arose as to the cause. Various explanations were given, but the main factor—and no doubt there were a number of factors contributing—was that parental control was less in wartime. The attention of parents was distracted. Some of them were overseas in the armed forces and others had extra duties which absorbed their attention. He did not suggest that this was a reason for doing nothing about it. but he thought it just as well that an explanation of the matter should be given.

Abnormal Conditions The position. Mr. Mason concluded was due to abnormal conditions and not to a general moral degeneracv m anv wav. &

Mr. Poison said that it was not the war that had brought about the increase in juvenile crime. That increase was the result of the relaxaatthnrVo «°f n !h 01 " due emirel >" to the attitude of the present Government. innL i? r 3 " 11 ? 1 'Government. Auckland hast) said there was not the duotnn ,V f that the increase was not Sr. It parental control, and , the war. It csnip a hoi it thr°ufi:h Jack of control generally brought about in cases where parties were separated from each oxhorV£d SKrc 111 "™ ~