JUVENILE DELINQUENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16796, 12 March 1918, Page 6

JUVENILE DELINQUENTS

LACK OF PARENTAL CONTROL.

COMMENT BY MAGISTRATE. The exceptionally large number of children summoned to answer various charges in the Juvenile Offenders' Court on Saturday was the subject of considerable comment by Court officials and others. The magistrate,.Mr. F. V. Frazer, said the number of juveniles brought before the Court since the beginning of the year— in all-seemed at first sight rather appalling, when compared with the total—2s5 — for tho 12 months of 1917. In his opinion, however, the figures did indicate that juvenile delinquency was increasing in the city at an abnormal rate. For one thing, a fortnight usually elapsed between the commission of an offence and the hearing of the charge. This meant that since January the Court had dealt with offences committed, approximately, between the middle of December and the latter part of February, a period which took in the whole of the "school holidays. At such a time, one naturally expected a large increase in juvenile delinquency, on the assumption that a certain personage would nndoubtdly find a greater amount of mischief for the idle hands to dc. The increase, however, was only temporary, and he had no reason to think that tho average of the past 10 weeks would bo maintained. Another factor in swelling the numbers for present vear was a peach tree, to which no fewer than 16 boys fell victims. Such a number of delinquents from one source of temptation was quite abnormal, and unlikely to recur. Influences to be Counteracted. "Apart altogether from any increase," continued Mr. Frazer, " one cannot help being impressed by the number of juvenile delinquents brought before the court, and ono naturally casts about for reasons. Ino Juvenile Court, I may say, is most particular in investigating the causes of each offender's lapse, so as to prescribe the appropriate remedy. The principal cause, without doubt, is parental neglect. By this I do not mean that there is necessarily neglect of the child's physical well-being, but there is more often a laxity and a lack of the sense of responsibility apparent in the manner in which children are allowed to roam tho streets, even to a late hour, with no restriction or oversight as to the company they keep, the places they visit, or the habits they form. Then, too, there is the influence of undesirable picture films. It is only a few months ago that a series of charges of housebreaking and mischief, in which several boys from ■ widely distant parts of the city and sub- ; urban area were involved, was traced J directly to the influence of a certain film, ; in which the doings of a somewhat spec- ; tacular criminal were portrayed. As a ! result of representations made to the MinI ister for Internal Affairs, this film was called in, The censorship of films has effected a great improvement in the class of pictures exhibited, but I think there is room for greater discrimination between picture* suitable for exhibition to adults only and for general exhibition. It also is desirablo that a degree of oversight should be exercised by parents over the books read by their children. Question ol Birching. "By far the great majority of the offences committed by juveniles—the term includes boys and girls up to 16 years of ageare petty theft and mischief. Serious crimes are practically nil. The effect of association is shown by the fact that, more often than not, two or more juveniles are concerned in the commission of an offence. A child's offences are usually impulsive. I always try to impress upon such offenders (1) the wrongfulness of the act; (2) the risk and consequences ol detection; and (3) the meanness of an act such as theft, so that they may be induced to think and reflect when a similar temptation arises. In referring to penalties that may be imposed on juvenile offenders, Mr, Frazei mentioned the probation system, adding ; —" Auckland is fortunate in having Mr. F. S. Shell as its juvenile probation officer, for he combines enthusiasm and a rare degree of tact with an intimate and sympathetic knowledge of juvenile human nature. " So far as the vexed question of birching is concerned, there is one serious difficulty about this form of punishment. A birching cannot be ordered un less ft conviction is recorded. ] think it would be advisable to have the law amended so as to permit ol a birching being ordered without a conviction being recorded, and also making it additional to a term of probation, instead of being an alternative only. Without being tin advocate of birching, I think it desirable that it should be retained, subject to tho alterations of the law I have suggested, for use in special cases where a sharp lesson is required as a preliminary to the more gentle methods of tho probation system.