Observations on the Social Scene
| Published date | 01 April 1946 |
| Date | 01 April 1946 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X4601900213 |
| Author | William O. Gay |
| Subject Matter | Article |
THE
POLICE
JOURNAL
ance Officers lies in the main amongst the same juveniles,
hut
nowhere
is there acontrol to direct their collective efforts or to pool their
information and resources.
The
suggestion that this should be rectified
by the amalgamation of the existing organisations under the control
of the respective Chief Constables would receive anything
but
support
from the organisations themselves, although, because of lack of unity
and staff, their services cannot be fully efficient under the present
system. Space does not permit of my discussing the matter more fully
here,
but
I have given the matter considerable thought from the view-
point both of juvenile welfare and the prevention of crime, and I have
come to the conclusion that the suggestion is worthy of the greatest
consideration. I am satisfied that it would receive the support of all
fair-minded persons having the welfare of juveniles at heart.
It
might entail a reversal in policy,
but
it would achieve results far in
excess of any yet obtained.
In
conclusion, I would submit that the varied angles from which
I have attempted to study the prevention of crime in this article give
some idea of the vast field for enterprise in this direction.
There
is much scope for extending our efforts in the post-war years, and many
problems will arise.
In
tackling these matters I suggest once again
that better use should be made of the vast practical knowledge of
the
Police.
Observations on the Social Scene
By
WILLIAM
O. GAY, M.A.
(OXON.)
Great
Western
Railway Police
"No
more
can
you
distinguish
of a
man
Than
of his
outward
show;
which,
God
he knows,
Seldom
or
never
jumpeth
with
the
heart."
Richard
III,
Act
3, Sc.
2.
AMONG the attributes of a good policeman are those qualities
which can be summed
up
in the phrase, " powers of observation."
Great emphasis is placed on this in training, and indeed at all stages
of a policeman's career;
but
insufficient emphasis is attached to the
importance of supplementing the ability to see things quickly, accur-
ately, and completely, by the ability to draw the correct inferences
from the things seen.
It
is only too easy to draw the wrong conclusion
from carefully observed facts, and dangerously easy when the obser-
vation itself is superficial. Things may seem '
queer'
to an inexperi-
enced observer when they are actually capable of a natural explanation,
148
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