Juvenile Delinquency: A comparative study of the position in Liverpool and in England and Wales.
- Author:
Bagot, M.A. With
an Introduction by D. Caradog Jones, Reader in Social Statistics in the University of Liverpool. Issued under the auspices of the School of Social Sciences and Admini- stration in the University of Liverpool- Jonathan Cape. 5s.
This enquiry, conducted under the auspices of the School of Social Sciences and Administration in the University of Liverpool deals with indictable offences committed by persons between the ages of 8 and 17. It excludes minor offences such as breaking of bye-laws, minor damage, unlawful possession, etc., and, what is more important, sexual delinquency m girls which may have considerable individual and social repercussions.
The incidence of delinquency in Liverpool and in the rest of England is studied and compared- It is noted that the increase is much greater in towns than in the country and there is a relative increase in the South as compared with the North, perhaps as a result of the migration ?i industries from North to South.
Most of the cases dealt with which are those in the years 1934 and 1936 in Liverpool are boys, since the figures for girls are very small. I* interesting to note that the figures in Liverpool are three times greater than those for the rest ot the country. So far as types of delinquency are concerned, the proportion is smaller in the tvvo years studied, larcency, the minor offence, beinS twice as great as breaking and entering whns offences against the person are very Larcency is greatest between the ages of 12 aD 14 and then decreases, but breaking and entering continue to increase with age since the mor serious crime needs more planning. The author suggests that the increase in stealing may be due to changes in methods of sale since the population is persuaded that it must have certain articles and these are often displayed on open shop counters. Thefts from the latter are specially by girls from 14-16, the goods taken being clothes, cheap cosmetics, etc. A fruitful source of larceny seems to be lack of money to spend on sweets, cigarettes and cinemas compared with other members of the group. Offences are most often committed in idle times, i.e. half-holidays and Sundays, except that girls tend to steal from open counters when shops are specially busy on Saturday afternoons. In Liverpool fewer cases are placed on probation than in the rest of the country but more are dismissed under the Probation of Offenders’ Act. Liverpool sends niore children to approved schools and a large number are fined which, in the case of children, seems of very little use. The Justices seem to Profit very little by experience as they are not able or do not trouble to follow the future histories of their cases. It is found that one- third of the cases are recidivists; 44 per cent, of the cases were Roman Catholics from Inner Liverpool. Poor physical health did not seem to be an important factor but the chances of delinquency were greater among backward children but not amongst actual mental defec- tives. Backward children were also likely to be recidivists. As a whole, clubs did not exert the influence for which they are often given credit, since much depends on the leadership of the clubs, the number of attendances by the boys, and especially whether the clubs admit delin- quents. If they do not, then any claim to Prevent delinquency must be dismissed.
Unemployment is very important but the same cause may be responsible for both unemployment and delinquency. Amongst employed delin- quents, most are engaged in blind alley occupa- tions and change their jobs frequently. Nevertheless, employment was better in 1936 than in 1934, though the delinquency figures ^vere worse. Groups or ” gangs ” influence the ‘ncidence, especially among younger delinquents, .ft the effect of being in a group is more ?rnportant than that the group may have one delinquent leader. Poverty is very important and so is overcrowding, because under such ^?nditions children are drifting on to the streets. Removal to housing estates eventually diminishes delinquency though where the removal has been very recent no improvement is noticed for some *lrne. Large families seem to favour delinquency ut they also favour poverty and overcrowding and other delinquents in the family seem to avour delinquency and especially recidivism. Lack of discipline in the home is very important and will often stultify all the best efforts of the Probation Officer. Similarly ” broken homes ” exert a similar influence.
The conclusions and recommendations are summarized at the end of the book and appen- dices discuss very briefly adult offences, and delinquency during wartime. With regard to the latter, the following points are suggested: 1. More thought should be given to the extent to which parents may be made responsible for the misdeeds of their children.
2. Methods already proposed whereby delin- quents would be deprived of some liberty in their leisure time should be re-examined.
3. Much could be done by collaboration between the police and the court on the one hand and the teaching profession on the other.
4. The possibilities of a curfew should be examined.
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