The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-12
JOURNALISM AND CRIME.
From the New York Herald.

From the New York Herald.
In his address before the Legal
congress Dr. Forbes Winslow attributed
this years epidemic of suicide chiefly to
the great publicity given by the press to
details of crime and trials ana the IN
sufficient power of the legislature to sup
press such publicity" This statement.
coming from SO high an authority ana re-
flecting 50 strongly on modern American
journalism. Is well calculated to attract
attention and challenge criticism. The
claim that suicide Is Increased by news
paper reports of crime can only be SUD-
stantiated by statistics showing that the
maximum Of self-slaughter has been
reached when and where these reports
have been most common and sensational:
DIR. Winslow offers no such isures, ana
we do not believe they can be given. On
the contrary, so far as statistics are avail
able on this subject, they point to the OPP
posite conclusion. They show that IN sew
eral European countries where the press
lacks the enterprise. and In some IN
stances the freedom, to publish the Grim
inal news of the day, suicide Is far more
prevalent than in this country, where
there is no press censorship and newspa-
pers are free to publish what their read
ers want and Journalistic enterprise
prompts. For example, neither Denmark
nor Saxony can be accused of sensationai
journalism, yet according TO published
statistics the highest suicide rates In the
world are reached there. High rates are
also found in France, Prussia and Baden,
while Austria. Bavaria and Belgium are
not much behind them. In all these coun-
tries suicide Is probably more common IN
proportion to popula.ion than in the
United States. and In all less publicity is
given to crimes and criminal trials.
-:
DIR. Winslow thinks that the extent to
which such publicity Is carried in this
country has a dcleterious effect on weak
minded persons and should be checked by
legislative power. There are, of course,
papers here and there which print without
stint or scruple far fetched criminal de-
tails simply to satisfy Il morbid taste or
create cheap sensation, and whose pub
l!cation Is a d.scredit to reputable Journal
ism. There are also papers which 80 to
the other extreme and carefully exclude
from their columns about all the public
cares to KNOW but for that reason their
readers are few. But the judic!ous publi-
cation of the legitimate criminal news of
the day, giving all necessary particulars
OF crimes committed and important Grim
inal cases tried, is an enterprise imposed
upon great newspaper by the reading
public as much as the reporting of polit-
ical events. state and International ar
fairs, commercial matters. sporting
events, and so on. A widely circulated
journal which would fail to report fully
and promptly all the news of the day,
criminal as well as non-crminal, would
fail to give its host of readers what they
want, what they take the paper for, and
what they have right to expect.
-.-.-
To give proper publicity to crime Is not
only legitimate journalistic function,
but public duty. Crime Is not a private
matter. 1t Is not merely an offence of
an individual against an individual. II
It an offence against society, and its eX-
rosure, as well as It's punishment. Is a
duty to society. SO far from having any
deleterious effect, we believe publicity
has deterrent influence and hence serves
n useful public end. ON the crim!nally in
clincd mind fear of exposure is fear Of
punishment. In public affairs nothing Is
more conducive to honesty and purity
than the vigilance of a free press In
watching the dongs of public officials
and fearlessly exposing corruption and
wrOngdOing. In our courts there can lie
no star chamber tyranny when all the
proceedings are under the eyes of watch
full reports. The value of the aid rendered
the police and prosecuting authorities in
the solution of mysteries. the detecting
of criminals and the securing of evidence
by enterpr;s!ng newspapers Is universally
recognized and cannot be overest!mated.
AS for the mower of the legislature 10
suppress publicity" such a power may
be welded under Il despotism or q gov
ernment censorship. but not in a free
country where liberty of the press is
guaranteed by the constitution and jour-
nalism knows no censorship and Is respon-
s.ble only for abuse of its high preroga-
tive.