Juvenile Crime its Causes and Treatment
| Date | 01 October 1939 |
| Published date | 01 October 1939 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X3901200411 |
| Author | Jessie J. Clarey |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Juvenile Crime
ITS
CAUSES
AND
TREATMENT
By Policewoman
JESSIE
J. CLAREY
Melbourne
City
Police
[This is the Winning Essay in the King's Gold Medal Essay Competition, 1938]
(Continued from page
300)
2.
INDIVIDUAL
TRAITS
(a) Hereditary: Biological science has not yet been able
to ascertain with any degree of certainty what is transmitted
through heredity to human
beings-widely
differing indivi-
duals coming from the same stock. Spaulding and Healy state,
after research among
1,000
recidivists,
"It
seems hazardous to offer any conclusion concerning the
possible relationship of heredity to delinquency. Among the difficulties
of interpretation is the fact that there are so often, surrounding youth,
bad social situations created by socially unfit parents, the effects of which
are not those of biological inheritance."
'*'
It
therefore seems as though, except where the basis of
delinquent conduct exists in mental abnormality, we may, for
the purpose of this essay, disregard the possibility of delin-
quency or criminality being a direct inheritance.
(b) Physical: Aconsiderable portion of delinquent
children is found to be under-developed and of poor physique.
But this factor must be considered, not as a prime cause but
chiefly as the result of poverty or of neglect on the part of the
parents.
The
undersized, as also the overgrown, have certain
individual problems to face.
In
the wrong surroundings each
has his own peculiar disadvantages.
The
undersized lad,
•Inheritance as a Factor of Criminality, by E. R.
Spaulding
and
W.
Healy,
as
quoted
by
Healy
and
Bronner
in New
Light
on Delinquency and its Treatment, 1936.
460
JUVENILE
CRIME-CAUSES
AND
TREATMENT
461
unable to hold his own by other means, may resort to petty
sneaking and underhand secretiveness; the overgrown may
find himself a misfit amongst the smaller children at school,
leading to truancy with its attendant ills. He may become a
bully or the ringleader of an unruly gang.
The
child suffering from chronic disease or lingering
malady is apt to develop an anti-social outlook. Early in life
the weakling has probably had bestowed on him an extra
share of petting and attention, and has failed to develop habits
of industry and consideration for others.
If
he belongs to the
lower economic classes his bodily frailties are a definite
handicap. All the future can promise is, at the best, the life
of an unskilled worker, whilst more probably he will merely
exist upon charitable assistance or develop into a thief.
It
is frequently found upon medical examination that
your delinquent children suffer from a nasal obstruction,
adenoids or similar growth, resulting in a dull, nervous,
debilitated condition. Medical treatment has shown marked
results in behaviour standards.
On the other hand, the normal healthy child is full of
life and vitality; he has boundless energy; he throws stones;
invades railway yards;
"explores"
empty buildings, and is
constantly seeking an outlet for his overflow of spirits. With
suitable opportunity, and supervision, he goes for long
rambles, he enjoys fishing and swimming, or participates in
sports of various kinds.
In
the country he has plenty of space
for outlet of his animal spirits;
but
in the crowded area the
outlet for this energy is through mischief and lawlessness on
the street and surroundings.
(c) Intellectual:
It
is very evident that a high percentage
of criminals is intellectually dull. According to Duncan,
"Investigations tend to show that delinquents are more often
intellectually dull than mentally deficient," and one of the
reasons suggested is that, whilst more care and control have
been exercised over the mental deficient, there has been a
failure to provide suitable education for the dull and backward
child."
That
opinion is not accepted by all authorities, as others
•
Mental
Deficiency, by J.
Duncan,
1938.
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