Jack Dawkins, also known as "The Artful Dodger", is a character in Charles Dickens's novel *Oliver Twist*, but he is a pickpocket who is part of a gang led by Fagin.
Oliver Twist is a young orphan who is taken in by Fagin after escaping from the workhouse. Oliver is forced into a life of crime by Fagin and his gang, including Jack Dawkins.
Oliver and Jack Dawkins first meet when Jack Dawkins tries to pickpocket Oliver in the street.
This encounter leads to Oliver being taken to Fagin's lair, where he is introduced to the gang.
Oliver does not meet Jack Dawkins on his own. Their meeting is arranged by Fagin and is a key moment in the novel's plot.