The American Jewish Committee today made public a report on neo-Nazi youth groups in the United States and disclosed plans for community action to deal with these tendencies.
The report listed some 11 American communities where these groups were discovered prior to and following the recent rash of swastika incidents. The report stated that in virtually all instances “these groups were found to be manifestations of Juvenile delinquency and expressions of the herd instinct cast in Nazi format.” It stressed that there was “little evidence of adult instigation in these groups,” The majority of the youths involved were in the 13 to 18 age group.
The Committee emphasized that it is concerned with seeking “the basic causes which lead youthful offenders to choose neo-Nazi symbols for their “hate syndrome” and expressions of criminality. To be explored are the backgrounds and general social history of these offenders, including: the community situation, the cultural and familial framework, the individual’s psychological makeup, his education, and related environmental and personal factors. It was stressed that merely tagging offenders as “juvenile delinquents did not penetrate to the roots of the neo-Nazi manifestations.”
The Committee plans to enlist the aid of clinical psychologists social workers, university researchers, law enforcement and voluntary agencies who will work together as teams in specified communities. These teams will carry on studies in depth of the youths who are apprehended as members of these neo-Nazi groups. The studies will seek to formulate explanations for patterns of behavior, and propose positive community action–in the educational and human relations fields–to combat these tendencies.
Some of the neo-Nazi groups cited in the report were: 1. “The Nazi Regime of America”–had among its paraphernalia a homemade bomb, a gun, swastika insignias, and hand-printed literature. The group was discovered in Wayne, New Jersey. 2. “The Fourth Reich” in Cleveland, Ohio, stated that its avowed objective was “to get rid of Jews and Communists.” The leader addressed as “Fuehrer” has a genius IO. He had prepared a “death list” which included President Eisenhower.
The American Jewish Committee also reported that during the course of police investigation into a synagogue bombing and swastika defacements in Springfield, Massachusetts, three youths were found to have “identification cards” bearing swastikas. Information on incidents in Yonkers, N.Y. and Gadsden, Alabama during the latter part of March was received after the report had been prepared.
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