Children's and Youthful Criminality in the USA

In 1956 г, in the USA left the book “Youthful criminality” under edition S.Meklelana's Grant. This book represents the collection of articles of the American authors who are engaged in research of a problem of children's and youthful criminality in its various aspects. In the book opinions of responsible statesmen, lawyers, psychiatrists, sociologists, writers, teachers, parents and representatives of other groups of the population at a problem of criminality among minors in the USA are stated.

In the present information those opinions which represent the greatest interest for the Soviet reader are short stated only. In particular, considerable interest is caused by sights of some the American authors of the reasons of children's and youthful criminality and about methods with which help, in their opinion, ostensibly it is possible to achieve decrease in growth of criminality among minors in the USA.

In the majority the American authors investigating questions of children's and youthful criminality, are far from disclosing of the valid reasons of criminality among minors. In the USA they try to explain enormous growth of children's and youthful criminality any the minor reasons. Only separate authors in the articles presented in the considered book, try to hint shy at the true reasons of criminality among minors, without opening thus completely the sights on this point in question.

All American authors who are engaged in research of a problem of children's and youthful criminality in the USA, mark huge growth of criminality among minors. The children's and youthful criminality is a tragedy of the modern American validity. The problem of children's and youthful criminality in the USA, according to the majority of authors, is sharper, than in any ругой to the world country.

Data, available FBI, show that the crimes of all poisons made in the country in 1954, have increased on 8, 2 % in comparison with 1953, in 1953 the criminality was above on 8 % in comparison with 1952 How much this general increase in criminality in the USA is caused by growth of criminality among minors, it is visible from the following data. According to FBI, in 1953 young criminals to 18-year-old age had been made 53, 6 % from among all automobile thefts in 1174 cities; 49, 3 % of all burglaries; 40, 1 % of all other kinds of thefts; 18 % of all robberies and 16, 2 % of all rapes.

If the tendency to growth of children's and youthful criminality takes place and further the following generation will witness a result more than 41, 8 million cases of larceny, 15, 8 million burglaries, 7, 4 million automobile thefts, 2 million robberies, 3 million physical violence and more than 200 thousand Americans will appear killed. Now in the USA every year more than 1 million teenagers make one or several crimes. If it will not be possible to suspend growth of criminality among minors, that, according to Klendenena (see the named book, p. 9 and сл.), by 1960 the children's criminality increases more than to 1, 5 million cases a year.

The children's and youthful criminality in the USA in the development as some authors mark, accepts more and more rough and severe forms. Young criminals who broke 10 years ago street lanterns, break now skulls of people. Therefore, according to Evane (p. 41—42), the problem of children's and youthful criminality is one of the greatest problems in a life of a modern American society.

Than so wide development and rise in crime among minors in the USA speaks? On this question among the American authors who are engaged in research of children's and youthful criminality, there is no common opinion. Barron Milton (p. 59—63) considers that in movement of children's and youthful criminality is observed defined кругооборот or fluctuation. He cannot explain these fluctuations, but their studying, from its point of view, allows to draw the important conclusions.

The children's and youthful criminality increases during the periods of economic prosperity and falls down during the depression periods, increases in a preparation time to war and the war and falls during the world. From here Milton concludes that most plausible reasons of increase in criminality among minors in the USA are either war or prosperity. The opposite picture is observed with criminality of adults. The criminality of adults begins to decline during prosperity and war and rises during depression and the world. Milton explains this opposite tendency of criminality of adults and children to that character of economic changes in military or the peace time renders various psychological, social and economic influence on adults and children.

Some American authors great value in development of criminality among minors give religions. In their opinion, disbelief in god — the serious factor influencing growth of children's and youthful criminality. According to many, on growth of criminality among minors the great influence is rendered by the comics published in the USA in million circulations and in the majority describing crimes, made mainly minors. Influence of these comics on children hugely. Comics specially intend for teenagers and, in essence, contain all necessary lessons how it is necessary to commit crimes. Teenagers study on such comics and go on crimes already with the ready recipe.

The violence and sadism are preached in many comics. And all it is accompanied by e