Nemo
10-23-2010, 05:50 AM
From Press Reports at Casebook...
Wouldn't this statement be the reason why Anderson claimed to be reported to whenever criminal youths were found to possess certain literature?
Morning Advertiser (London)
14 November 1888
PERNICIOUS JUVENILE LITERATURE
Mr. SAMUEL SMITH asked the Home Secretary whether his attention had been drawn to the report that the two boys now waiting their trial for murder in Maidstone Gaol had been addicted by their own confession to the reading of such books as "Dick Turpin," "Varney the Vampire, or the Feast of Blood," and "Sweeney Todd," and that one of them told a correspondent of the Tunbridge Wells Advertiser that he was prepared for his fate now he had made his name known; whether he is aware that there is an enormous circulation of criminal literature among the young, and that about 25 English newspapers have recently been publishing the lives of Charles Peace, William Palmer the Rugeley poisoner, and the murders of Burke and Hare; whether these stories, attractively written, are widely circulated and read by enormous numbers of children, and investigate many of them to the commission of crime; what check can be put upon the circulation of these pernicious works; and whether a record could be kept of the class of books or papers found on the persons of youthful criminals when arrested, as a guide to future legislation on the subject.
Mr. MATTHEWS said he had seen the statement referred to by the hon. member that such literature had a large circulation. The Government were prepared to take such steps as they were able to check the circulation of these pernicious works, and he would undertake to give careful consideration to the matter.
Wouldn't this statement be the reason why Anderson claimed to be reported to whenever criminal youths were found to possess certain literature?
Morning Advertiser (London)
14 November 1888
PERNICIOUS JUVENILE LITERATURE
Mr. SAMUEL SMITH asked the Home Secretary whether his attention had been drawn to the report that the two boys now waiting their trial for murder in Maidstone Gaol had been addicted by their own confession to the reading of such books as "Dick Turpin," "Varney the Vampire, or the Feast of Blood," and "Sweeney Todd," and that one of them told a correspondent of the Tunbridge Wells Advertiser that he was prepared for his fate now he had made his name known; whether he is aware that there is an enormous circulation of criminal literature among the young, and that about 25 English newspapers have recently been publishing the lives of Charles Peace, William Palmer the Rugeley poisoner, and the murders of Burke and Hare; whether these stories, attractively written, are widely circulated and read by enormous numbers of children, and investigate many of them to the commission of crime; what check can be put upon the circulation of these pernicious works; and whether a record could be kept of the class of books or papers found on the persons of youthful criminals when arrested, as a guide to future legislation on the subject.
Mr. MATTHEWS said he had seen the statement referred to by the hon. member that such literature had a large circulation. The Government were prepared to take such steps as they were able to check the circulation of these pernicious works, and he would undertake to give careful consideration to the matter.