Report of the Special Committee on Moral Delinquency in Children and Adolescents

en grow up. The more normal and well balanced a community is, the greater are the child's chances of developing a well-balanced personality.

chances of normal healthy development are made progressively

sing De

there has been for houses to accommodate a rapidly expanding population. On the other hand, in the light of experience, it is considered

ewer

greater than the number of adults. There is a pronounced difference between a settlement of mushroom growth and one tha

uch areas the Committee obtained from the Education Department a statement of the prima

ngton

ublic and private s

public and private

-

50 1

alley. For instance, 250-300 of the girls at Wellington College come to that college from the Hutt, and many more children from outside the city attend other city schools. The exact total is not

0.4 per cent of the total population are adults,

causative factor in juvenile delinquency, the sit

one considers that the delinquency now being considered is in the 13-to-17-year-old group, the period of greatest danger wil

The absence of public disclosures of delinquency in any of tho

ase is striking. In planning one post-primary school the rate of 0.7 children to

of a Commu

cause their relatives or friends are there, because it is handy to the husband's work, because of "the view", or for similar reasons. The house they build or buy or rent was the house of their choice. In t

h those traditions. Churches, schools, halls, and monuments are entirely non-existent or very new. The areas left for sports grounds, parks, and reserves are still largely undeveloped. The occupants of the new houses have not the financial capacity to provide these things, and there are seldom any private benefactors, because there is not a stratum of

crowding

ets of overcrowded homes unsuitable for family life. The tendency for the young people to seek thei

to Form Gro

Some of these children are not moulded into the activities of churches or other helpful organizations. They simply coalesce by the accident of their circumstances, and m

nal and Me

cond World War, they were obliged to live in small apartments or transit camps and were thereby unable to live the normal life of a married couple. Either because of this, or because of conditions exis

a long distance to work he is not able to spend as much time with

Variety i

he amenities normal in an established settlement. Necessarily, these must be added one by on

be anything like a desirable balance of community interests in such an area. Juvenile delinquency in new housing settlements might conceivably be reduced, if, in fu

tion and E

med dearth of organized recreation and entertainment. Such a thought more easily rises to the mind when it is known that many cases have occurred in new sett

dancing, and things of that sort have been active in urging upon the Committee that grea

tion or healthy pleasure. If he is persuaded to join a club or society, he may soon make such a nuisance of himself that the leader will be obliged, for the good of the club, to rebuke him or warn him that he will not be allowed to attend in future unless he behaves. The pre-delinquent, therefore, either does not join, or else soon leaves, a club where he cannot feel happy. He is inclined toward a friend

e other sex. In our society, boys and girls must meet socially. It is part of the growing-up process a

by witnesses, the foll

ssential to retain the family group as much as possible, in general, children should not be encouraged to go out excessive

and activities for those who have left the directed conditions of school life and are entering on the freedom o

ly co-ordinated. Over lapping can be avoided, facilities are more easily provided, and the

oung people. Chief among the difficulties faced by these character-building organizations which have made representations to the Co

some children might slip into bad ways, their further development will not provide the cure. Indeed, much of the immor

uor and

, and also by many private people, that juvenile delinquency co

re. Much danger is inherent in the view that no social occasion is complete without liquor. It has come to the notice of the Committee that many parents are conniving at the practice of having liquor at adoles