CRIME IN AMERICA.

Wairarapa Age, 22 March 1929, Page 4

CRIME IN AMERICA.

ADDRESS BY DB. MILDBED STALEY. PBOHIBTION AND CHIME STATISTICS. There was a large attendance in the Y.M.C.A. Hall yesterday afternoon, when Dr. Mildred Staley, of Auckland, spoke of her experiences in carrying out research work in Canada and the United States. Dr. Helen Cowie presided, and in introducing the speaker referred to her work on behalf of women and childretf. Dr. Staley said that she was a member of the Pan-Pacific Women's Congress when the members were requested to undertake research work. As a consequence she had been studying child welfare work in different countries. As a representative of the Congress, she was given special facilities in the United States and Canada to pursue her studies. In Vancouver she became associated with Judge Helen McGill, who had done magnificent work in her “Domestic Relations Court.’* Offenders were regarded as the sick people of the community, and were examined in the clinics by experts, whot. diagnosed the cases. Ideal criminology sought to suitably treat the criminals and cure them. In Canada there were well-manned free Child’s Guidance Clinics where children from two years of age were treated. In the case of the feeble-minded, delinquents, or those who had early-formed unwholesome habits, their family history was studied. In the United States and Canada,. the women were trained in sociology and were organised and well equipped. Efficiency was their watchword. social workers were co-ordinat-ed for the general good. In America women police were doing excellent .work. The members received a special training. Amongst other -duties they attended dance halls, where no girls under 18 years of age were allowed to enter unattended by a guardian. At Washington, in her research at the Federal Bureaux, Dr. Staley collected the following statistics:— Since 1919, after Prohibition came into force, up to 1928, the decrease in commitments to prison had been 37 per cent, and for drunkenness, 55 per cent. First admissions for insanity had decreased 66 per cent. The death rate from alcoholism had decreased from 5.6 to 2.5, and in “dry” States to .19. The death rate from tuberculosis had decreased from 132 to 86.6 per 100,000. In juvenile courts there had been a decrease of all cases of 40 per cent. Licensed houses for inebriates and drug addicts had decreased from 273 to 50. There had been a closing down of hundreds of home for vagrants and wastrels, prisons and charity institutions. Other interesting facts were that bootlegging had so far been reduced that the trials of bootleggers and drug cases only occupied half the time of the ' courts when compared with a few years ago. School attendance had greatly increased. There had also been a remarkable increase in the number of students at the universities as the people had more money to spend on educating their children. Neither was there drink ing in the universities. It was estimated that 82 per cent, of the studentland 77 per cent of the professors upheld law enforcement. Among the economic results was a decrease in absenteeism from work on Monday by 80 , per cent, and a reduction in the number of accidents by 48 per cent. Dr. Staley , said she had often heard it stated in New Zealand that drug addicts in America had increased under Prohibition, but she found that they had decreased enormously. There had been a great decrease in the number of young women offenders in the court-:. She visited the schools for mental defectives, where children were treated for six years and their powers were developed on suitable lines. As one of the benefits of Prohibition it was found that the number of mental defectives was decreasing. In New Zealand tbtw number of mental defectives was increasing. Dr. McMillan, who had under him almost a million children, declared that the benefits of Prohibition to them was unspeakably great. In closing, Dr. Staley referred to State Control of the Liquor trade as “liquor trade control of the State.” By paying 4s. she secured a pass which entitled her to get a gallon of whisky, five gallons of beer and a considerable amount of wine for one week. In Ontario, distilleries had increased from six in 1924 to 48 in 1928, and breweries from 29 to 80. Dr. Staley was in America during the Presidential election and gave facts to show that Mr. Hoover's election was a Prohibition victory. The speaker answered several questions asked by the Bev. E. O. Blamires. Miss Sutherland, M.A., in moving a vote of thanks to the speaker, expressed the wish that the figures should have a wider circulation than among those in the hall. The Rev. J. Cocker noved a vote of thanks to Dr. Helen Cowie for presiding, also the lady workers, of whom Mrs. N. Miller was the leader. jr