Just how the population explosion in the Los Angeles area affected crime is explained in this episode, which concentrates on the juveniles. In a western valley area, the population increased by 130,000 from 1957-66, it was pointed out, and more than half of them were kids. In addition, "we live in an age of the New Morality," the captain tells Friday and Gannon, "you know: God is dead, drugs are good, etc."
With all that brought a huge rise in all kinds of crime including the one discussed in this episode: shoplifting. A local plaza (this was before malls became popular) was being targeted and kids were stealing all kinds of strange objects. One is caught and spills the beans: he's part of a club. The initiation is that you have to steal $20 worth of merchandise and show the complete store tags to the club president. (Tags were always ripped in half, so a complete tag is proof you stole it.)
"Audie Fulton," the leader of the "Mod Squad" (I wonder if the TV people later ripped off that name from this show), is a funny guy and comes up with some very good wise-guy comments to Friday. The sergeant retaliates with some speeches of his own - good stuff on both sides!
There are a lot of social comments in this episode, things one probably has heard in every generation, regarding kids and parents, right and wrong. I almost had to laugh because a lot of it is heard today, too. There is a lot of truth in the speeches though, but the point is every generation of kids have many of the same attitudes, as demonstrated in this 1967 show.
