ILLINOIS AUDUBON BULLETIN 5 
A Question Of Morality 
by WILLIAM BREY 
Chief, Division of Law Enforcement 
Illinois Dept. of Conservation 
During the past generation an increasing number of persons 
throughout this country have begun to question, study, and debate the 
apparent decrease in the morals of the country and a resulting decrease 
in respect for the very laws and principles which have governed this 
country for the past two hundred years. The increase in all types of 
crimes is so staggering it goes beyond the imagination of any police 
statistician who predicted an ever increasing criminal activity as far as 
twenty or twenty-five years ago. Persons who have served in law 
enforcement during this generation have observed with growing alarm a 
rapidly increasing erosion of morals and a parallel increase in apathy on 
the part of many of our citizens of all age groups. 
This complete disregard for the rights of others resulting often in 
the commission of an offense, extends from major felonies down through 
a tremendous increase in misdemeanor crime and now into the area of 
conservation offenses. Following the Second World War persons began to 
enjoy more leisure time and recreational activities at a rate never seen 
before in the history of this country. With this leisure time came an 
increase in fishing and hunting activities, camping and other recreational 
sports, including recently snowmobiling, and during the 1960’s a fantastic 
increase in recreational boating. Although there has been no significant 
increase in hunters in this state in the past five years, Illinois experienced 
a growth in outdoor activities and use of public facilities for twenty years 
which in all probability we will never experience again. 
Unfortunately with the increase in outdoor sports and recreation 
