A Violent Past
At 14 years old, McQueen got caught stealing vehicle hubcaps. The police thought it best to turn him over to his stepfather instead of arresting him. Sadly, the boy was tossed down some stairs, which caused McQueen to threaten the man.
Joining the Republic
Julia Ann and her husband thought McQueen required more discipline, so they sent him to a school for juvenile delinquents called the California Junior Boys Republic. Later, he admitted that it might have been what got him straight.