The Police and Juveniles
| Author | Keith Jempson |
| Published date | 01 June 1964 |
| Date | 01 June 1964 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6403700605 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
CHIEF
INSPECTOR
KEITH
JEMPSON
Surrey Constabulary
THE
POLI~E
AND
JUVENILES
The Children and Young Persons Act, 1963,most of which was in
operation by February 1, 1964, clearly aims to keep children out of
court as offenders, victimsor witnesses. Its immediate intention is not
to remove them from police concern, though this might become its
delayed effect. The work of the Bateson, Ingleby and McBoyle Com-
mittees, the Howard League and the Magistrates' Association, has
helped to achieve enlightened and humane legislation for young
people. Their apparent unawareness of police experience and tra-
dition in the service of youth, both as voluntary spare-time leaders and
in official juvenile liaison work is, however, baffling.
For
this has a
constant effect upon the framing of the law, its application on the beat
and in court.
Now that psycho-analysis is well established and profitable, the
"intellectual" approach to juvenile delinquency has tended to be
based upon a new definition of discipline. Gentle persuasion has
replaced more rigorous forms of control, for creating or stimulating
a sense of shame is said to build up repression and make the cure
worse than the cause. To accept this is to discount the wisdom and
experience of police and present an image of them as blundering kill-
joys anxious to secure a conviction. Furthermore, the multiplication
of
paid welfare services now threatens to make the inadequate
parent redundant. Yet there are many indications that children
readily respond to firm treatment, and respect the padre and the
policeman who watch over them with genuine care but stand no
nonsense from them.
Another feature of the new approach to law-making is the Standing
Advisory Committee on juvenile delinquency. Six of its 40 members
are under 30 years old and it is a cross-section of
our
modern society
which extends
from"
pop"
singing to psychiatry. Police are repre-
sented by two chief constables. Such a variety of experience can
express the need for constant changes in the management of human
affairs and our flexible social system can readily be adapted to this,
although it often seems to lag behind the trend of events. Forexample,
in spite of nuclear war threats, the menace of traffic on roads, en-
lightened views on homosexuality, a high divorce rate, the spread of
venereal disease and the family-planning industry, live births in
England and Wales during 1963 were the highest for 16 years, third
only to the record crop of 1920.
The Prosecution
of
Offences
Where a child or young person is charged jointly, with the same
offence, together and at the same time, with a person who is aged 17
June /964 260
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