JUVENILE CRIMES.
- PARENTAL NEGLECT. THE SPIRIT OF MISCHIEF. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.! AUCKLAND, June 13. “We are becoming hysterical about juvenile depravity,” asserted Mr. Poynton, S.M., before the commission inquiring into the subject of mental defectives and sexual offenders. “Except South Australia, there are fewer crimes 'among our children between 15 and 20 than in any other country in the world,” he saitl. “Our hoys and girls under 16 are not getting worse.” The proportion of prisoners to a given number of the population in 1903 was 34. was 30 in 1913, and 16 in 1922. The juvenile cases before the courts showed this decrease, for there were 1677 in 1915 and 1391 in 1921.
Most of the delinquency was due to parental neglect- and much to the universal spirit of mischief in children. It was wrong to bring children into the court from the Police Court. No record whatever should be kept of the first offence unless of & grave nature, such as would require future treatment. In all cases whipping .should be permissible.
“Tt is regrettable,” added Mr. Poynton .“that so* little is done in schools to waihi the children, about the evils that will assail them in later life.”
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Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 14 June 1924, Page 7
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201JUVENILE CRIMES. Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 14 June 1924, Page 7
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