CINEMA AND CRIME.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16496, 5 August 1921, Page 8

CINEMA AND CRIME.

CHILDREN BEFORE THE COURTS. A MISUSE OF STATISTICS. (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, August 5. To demonstrate liis contention that the picture shows of to-day have an exceedingly small tendency to cause children to commit crime, an Auckland picture show manager, Air P. Hayward, gave to the Auckland Star ” an interesting statistical table which he stated had been received from the Government Statistician, and which he suggested ‘‘ must bo a conclusive answer to all those who allege that picture shows are increasing juvenile crime.” The basis of this contention was a comparison between the convictions of juvenile*s per thousand of the population over the years from 1914 till T 920 inclusive. This information was obtained from the Government Statistician, who, however, supplied Air Hayward with a more reliable indication of the tendency of the times which was ignored in presenting the ease to the public. Possibly this omission was unintentional, but it serves, as tlie Government Statistician remarks, “as a good illustration of how statistics can be made to prove anything.” Your correspondent has been given an opportunity of reading the complete file of correspondence relating to Air Hayward’s application to the Statistician , for information, and he has been authorised by the Hon AY. Downie Stewart, Alinister of Internal Affairs, to publish extracts which will place the matter in proper perspective. Air Hayward applied to the Statistician for a statement showing the statistics of juvenile cases which had come before the ?»!agist rates’ Courts during recent years. In furnishing this information to Air Hayward, the Government Statistician called attention to an important alteration which had been made in the law during the period under review, for the express purpose of avoiding record of convictions against children for their juvenile delinquencies. which might unfairly prejudice them in after life. As a consequence of the operation of this law, the record of convictions of juveniles has greatly diminished, and reliance is placed less on recorded punishments than upon the moral effect of an appearance before the Alagistrnte and the subsequent attention paid t-o the delinquent by the probation officer. Therefore, in submitting the figures, the Government Statistician was careful to call attention to these facts, and to suggest, “In the circumstances, the column showing the number of _ cases per thousand of total population is perhaps better for comparative purposes than that showing convictions per thousand, it being found that apart from alterations in the laws, or their administration, the ratio between charges and convictions does not vary greatly between one year and another. 1 might add,” concluded the Government Statistician, “ that of the 785 cases dismissed and discharged in 1920. no fewer than 616 came under the heading of 4 admonished and discharged.’ ” Thus, to fairly show the position of juvenile delinquency in New Zealand it is wise to avoid the enumeration of convictions, and to rely more upon the number of cases brought before the Courts. Adopting this principle, the table supplied to Afr Hayward by the Government. Statistician gives the following indications:—

Injfarmation prior to 1914 is tnot available, but the figures during the period covered in this table show that, for whatever cause, more juveniles are appearing in the Courts to-day than in earlier years, making allowance for increased population.

Cases Number eases per 1000 Year. dealt with. of population. 1914. 1,384 1.26 191.5 1,677 1.52 1916 1,687 1.53 1917 1,585 1.44 1918 1.552 1.40 1919 1,759 1.51 1920 1,579 1.34