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Indiana University Studies 



For the study of juvenile delinquency were selected 102 

 record sheets, the total number of those cases from Gary which 

 came to the attention of the Lake County Juvenile Court thru 

 its probation officers or otherwise officially from October 1, 1912, 

 when permanent comprehensive history records were first intro- 

 duced in that court, to June 30, 1914, a period of twenty months. 

 The fact is recognised that the number of cases coming to the 

 court cannot represent the whole number of juvenile delinquents 

 in the population of Gary for the period of time covered, but 

 only the detected cases; also that all the cases clo not exhibit 

 the same degree of delinquency. In accordance with the defini- 

 tion of juvenile delinquency used in this study, this group includes 

 those juvenile delinquents who are likely to become law-breakers 

 and criminals as well as habitual wrong-doers, and those whose 

 cases are settled out of court or who are returned to their parents 

 on probation as well as those who are committed to institutions. 21 



For the study of adult crime were selected the official records 

 of cases in three courts in order to cover both petty and more 

 serious offenders. Under the law of the state of Indiana all 

 crimes and offenses punishable by death or imprisonment in the 

 state prison are felonies; all other offenses against the criminal 

 law are misdemeanors. 22 



For Section I of the study of adult crime were selected 3,031 

 arrest sheets of those persons arrested by the police to be brought 

 before the city court from January 1, 1914, to December 31, 1914, 

 inclusive, a period of twelve months. This court has exclusive 

 jurisdiction of all violations of the ordinances of the city, and 

 original concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit court or criminal 

 court in all cases of petit larcency and all other violations of the 

 laws of the state where the penalty provided therefor cannot 

 exceed a fine of $500 and imprisonment in the county jail or 

 workhouse not exceeding G months or either or both. Only 

 misdemeanors and very minor felonies therefore can be disposed 

 of in the cit}^ court. 23 



Of the 3,512 cases arrested to be brought into this court 481 

 were at once discarded as not properly belonging to a study of 

 crime: 348 suspects, 54 witnesses, and 33 cases in which guilt 

 was not proved — cases obviously not delinquents; 19 demented 

 cases, which belong to a study of insanity; 2 drug and delirium 



21 For groups selected for study see Baldwin. 



22 Burns, Annotated Indiana Statutes, Revision of 1914, Sec. 1866, Chap. 4, Art. 1. 

 23 Burns Annotated Indiana Statutes, Revision of 1914, Sec. 8843. 



