George “Baby Face” Nelson

1. George “Baby Face” Nelson A notorious Chicago gangster

2. Backround Information • Born on December 6, 1908 in Chicago, Illinois • Real name is Lester Joseph Gillis • Was the seventh child of Joseph and Mary Gillis(immigrants from Belgium) • Married Helen Wawzynak and had two children Ronald and Darlene • Worked at the Standard Oil Company • Nicknamed “Baby Face” due to his young appearance • Rarely attended school- Nelson dropped out after the 8thgrade • Has always been in trouble with the law since age 13

3. Criminal History • Committed petty crimes during teenage years- stole tires, money, and cars • By 14 , Nelson was an accomplished car thief. He was sent to a boys home for two years after his conviction. During his parole, he committed a similar crime. • Went to prison for one year for robbing a bank(robbed several other banks throughout the years) • Escaped prison guards and fled to California • Befriended John Paul Chase- worked with him to illegally transport liquor • Joined the Dillinger Gang • Murdered several people- Nelson killed more FBI/special agents in the line of duty than any other person

4. Most Recent Crime and Sentence • Baby Face Nelson’s most recent crime led him to the ultimate sentence- the loss of his life • Had a shootout with three FBI agents on November 27, 1934. This event is also known as The Battle of Barrington

5. Evidence brought against criminal -Police recognized Nelson because he was driving a stolen V8 Ford south towards Chicago on State Highway 14 -Bullets were found on the street-Nelson started a car chase and began to open fire on police -There were seven bullets that struck Special Agent Samuel P. Cowley’s torso -The shootout was witnessed by about 30 people including Nelson’s wife

6. Quote • “I’m done for”- These were the last words Nelson said to his wife after being shot several times

7. Sociological Theory The Differential Association Theory best describes Baby Face Nelson’s criminal behavior. Even though Nelson has always committed crimes, I believe it was the influence of others that made him so deviant. Nelson was a member of several gangs during the Roaring 20s. He learned his techniques from some infamous criminals including, John Dillinger, John Paul Chase, and even Al Capone. If it were not for these figures, I do not think Nelson would’ve committed very serious crimes, for example, murder. Also, I believe Nelson learned his behavior from spending so much time in prison. As a young teenager, prison was a learning center for him because he spent so much time there and was very vulnerable. His criminal acts were always supported by his wife too. Even when Baby Face Nelson was the most wanted criminal, instead of keeping on the down low, he kept robbing banks and stealing cars. His crimes were frequent and intense throughout his whole life. As you can see, Baby Face Nelson’s behavior falls under the Differential Association Theory. His behavior was determined by the people that he worked for and surrounded himself with.

8. Deterrence or Rehabilitation • If Baby Face Nelson were still alive today, he should be punished. He should be kept away from society because he is dangerous. He murdered several people and FBI agents. For this reason, I do not believe it would be appropriate to rehabilitate him into a law abiding citizen. From a very young age, Nelson engaged himself in juvenile crimes. I think it would be too late now to change his behavior. Justice would need to be served for him for once and for all.