THE NAUGHTY CHILD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17153, 1 October 1926, Page 11

THE NAUGHTY CHILD

CAUSE OF JUVENILE CRIME VALUE OF EARLY TRAINING Juvenile- delinquencies funned the subject of an interesting address given by ,\lr. J. S. Barton, S.M., at the Wanganui Rotary Chib. Mr. Barton said juvenile delinquency could be. traced in most eases to lack of parental control and lack of all training. frequently bail not the slightest idea of what moral control meant. One man's idea- of training his boy was to thrash him severely every time be went outside the gate. The absence of control was also sometimes due to parents desiring to adopt the line of least resistance. There were some children who received no moral training, but were allowed to follow their own inclinations right along. It was only natural for them to associate with others with the same inclinations—those who had never learned! any “ don’ts ” 'or experienced any prohibit ions. A QUARREL WITH SOCIETY. Some parents, said! Mr. Barton, trained their children in the wrong direction. They believed that they were oppressed and had a kick to deliver against society. There were hoys brought nip in homes governed bv such parents. In giving evidence at the Court- when their children were charged with delinquency, parents would show their resentment and grudge against society in general. Tho treatment of these eases was obvious. The State had to step in and 1 supply the training which was lacking in the homes. When parents did not supply the training, and the ignorant and untrained habits of their children became a menace- to society, it waS the State’s duty to train tho childen. The tendency now was to have the children left with thgjr parents, but supervised by child welfare officers. At one time juvenile offenders were herded together in largo institutions, hut the present method was more effective. Some of these children treated in the present way got their first taste of discipline; when the welfare officers began their supervision, but the State’s training could not compare with that given by good parents to their children. THE PROBLEM UP GIRLS. It was easier to find the causes and motives of crime with boys than in cases where girls had been the offenders, continued Mr. Barton. A boy usually went wrong when prompted by the acquisitive instinct and the hunting, roaming and sporting instincts that led him to do things with other boys that ho would not even contemplate alone. Mr. Barton said it- was obvious that girl offenders were coming before the Court in increased numbers, and it was a- difficult problem to know how to deal with them. In the ease of hoys charged with theft they could generally trace it- back to some impulsive act, or possibly team work through corning in contact with other hoys. That, being iho case, if. was an easy matter to direct tho boy into team work of .•mother nature, and the guiding influence of other boys soon led him. to take an interest in his team. They also had the Big Brother movement. where the delinquent- hoy war. taken in hand and received proper guidance, lit the ease of a girl it- was dilferent. Where, could they expect- to get the same results from a Big Sister movement? A Big .Sister might- talk to a. delinquent girl for an hour, and there would be no guarantee that the girl had learned anything from Urn Big Sister, but. it was certain that she could tell everything the Big Sister wore. Air. Barton said he had talked to delinquent girls, who- had looked at him with the mildl eye of a heifer, but. it was impossible to tell what- was passing through their minds or whether they were being the least benefited by the advice given. A girl was led chiefly by her love of linory, hut there was also a feline way about it, too. A hoy could he made to see where he had fallen, but it was difficult to get any clear-cut repot ts as to the motives nod causes of crimes committed by girls, Mr. Barton said that, man's inhumanity to man was nothing to woman’s inhumanity to woman. As a rule, women were the worst- employers, paid less wages, and made those in their employ work harder.