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The article discusses the public discourse concerning juvenile delinquency in 20th century England. Particular focus is given to how crime statistics influence public perception and the government's understanding of juvenile delinquency. An overview is presented contrasting England's local and national press's reporting on youth crime. An overview of crime in the working class East End of London, England, including victimization, property claims and theft, is provided. The author contends that youth crime in mid-20th century England was not a result of fundamental behavioral change of the youth and that the fear of juvenile delinquency should be treated as a historical phenomenon in its own right.