PUBLICITY AND CRIME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19413, 23 August 1926, Page 12

PUBLICITY AND CRIME.

A NECESSARY DETERRENT. CHILD WELFARE COURTS. [BY TELEGRAPH:—O\VN; CORRESPONDENT.] ' " WANGANUI, Saturday. . A sitting of the Child Welfare Court was held this morning. Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., presided, and Detective Revell appeared for the police. A youth was charged with theft and the facts outlined indicated that the offence was not an isolated one and the elements of breaking and entering were present. The presiding magistrate asked Detective Revell if this case bore any of the features present in numerous theft cases recently before the Child Welfare Court and, receiving an affirmative answer, he asked what attitude the police would take toward a proposal to order th?it a report of the proceedings be published in the public interest. Detective Revell stated that in his opinion it was highly desirable that the matter should be reported. He was of opinion that the fact that no reports were appearing made the work of the police more difficult and might eVen encourage < crimes of this sort. He pointed out that a boy inclined to this class of offence was without, the deterrent that would be afforded by the knowledge that oher boys who did so were caught and punished. 1 Mi*. McEldowney, the child welfare officer* agreed that in the public interest the matter should be reported as far as the Act permitted. . The accused lad was then remanded to appear on Wednesday next and the magistrate made an order that the proceedings be open to the press representatives.