During World War II and increasingly after independence, migration to industrialized urban areas increased. The outskirts of some cities became overcrowded, squalid, and neglected areas lacking the organized community life of permanent residents. The slum dwellers gradually developed attitudes and habits contrary to the social norms and controls of the organized community. They came to accept harmful actions aimed at achieving personal success. Adults accepted youths' commission of petty thefts and shoplifting. The spread of the slum culture in West Bengal exemplifies these trends. People's desires for affluence and materialistic pleasures have overshadowed the ideal approaches suitable for India. The fact that India's crime rate is lower than that of the United States should not be cause for complacency. Social scientists need to develop interdisciplinary research programs to identify social policies to prevent the spread of criminogenic elements. The Social Welfare Ministry should control these social defense programs to teach children the skills for proper decisionmaking and to reduce the need for corrective measures later. Data tables and 16 references.