National Affairs: The Witness

Nobody ever called Joseph Senatore a typical American boy. Joe is skinny and his shoulders are narrow; his sharp, wise-guy face is sallow and pimply. While other kids were joining the Boy Scouts, Joe was exploring back alleys and hanging around street corners. While other youngsters were preparing for college, Joe was serving time on a robbery rap.

Joe Senatore, at 20, product of the teeming tenements and slums, is what people mean by the phrase "juvenile delinquent." In a quiet Brooklyn courtroom last week, Joe tried to tell why he and his buddies talked tough, acted tough and got tough inside....

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