Show Crime Crime And And Ho HOTTo How T tir To Prevent It By Frank Connor Here is some interesting in information information information in- in formation concerning cases that came before the court of general general gen gene eral sessions of New York City Only felonies come before this court Crimes of theft and violation of property rights included per percent cent of oC all cases A Assault sault came cameto cameto cameto I to per cent Crimes against sex came to 5 54 per cent The re remaining remaining remaining re- re 11 per cent was composed composed com corn posed of offenses against public order The ages of per cent of the above were between 16 and 21 per c cent nt were between the ages of 22 and 25 17 per percent cent were between the ages of 26 and 30 The remaining per cent was made up by those over 30 years of age From this it is perfectly clear that the problem of crime is almost almost al al- al- al most wholly a problem of youth Criminals are not made automatIcally automatically automat automatically at the moment of crime As a rule criminal careers are the end of a long series of events I j which lead up to and condition I the unfortunate person for the criminal act Of the cases in question 97 per cent were male offenders per cent had been taken taleen into custody for the first time 8 83 3 per percent percent cent had been before juvenile court per cent had never been previously arrested nor been before any courts 75 per cent of the women were in court for the first time Social per cent of the defendants came from broken homes Of this number 8 per pel cent had spent some sonic part of their lives in orphanages orphanages orphanages orph orph- or like Institutions and 92 per cent had been cared for byone byone by byone one parents usually the mother I or by some other relative When I the mother Is left with the care of children and the of i earning a living also the care of the children receive is necessarily ly reduced to a minimum The absence of the missing parent was due to death separation divorce hospital or institutional confinement confinement confinement confine confine- ment and sometimes imprison Imprison- ment As for the schooling of these individual al per cent had attended attended attended at at- tended for more than five years 17 per cent from two to five years per cent had less than two years 8 88 8 per cent had attended attended attended at at- tended high school 11 per cent centt had attended college Untrained and ill-directed ill youth is one of the chief problems I Only per cent of these defendants defendants defendants de de- de- de were regular In church attendance 49 per cent were employed 72 per cent were unskilled unskilled unskilled un un- un- un skilled workmen Religion does make a difference in life and woe betides those who refuse to recognize recognize recognize nize it Unemployment and low grade employment are very important important important im im- im- im elements in in determining careers of crime We Ve need to keep this in mind especially at this time After a careful reading of the above can there be any question as to the necessity of church I home and school cooperating to the fullest extent to the end that I there may be a united effort for good A normal religious life a norm normal school life and a normal home life together with good associations associations associations as as- in leisure time time these these are arc the only antidotes to crime and unhappy life |