The hatchet. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1883-19??, 1900-05-13

apparent to all without explanation
here.
If one or more states decree that
habitual criminals be put to death
or imprisoned for life, it becomes
necessary to devise a plan to posts
lively identify criminals convicted
for the third time. The Bertillon
system Of indentifcation by measure.
ment is infallable, and has been
recognized as such and adopted in
all parts of the world. 1t is based
on the fact that after one attains full
growth certain measurements of the
body and limbs do not change and
that in certain particulars no two
individuals are alike. This system
taken in connection with phOtogra.
phy, marks, scars, deformities, color
Of hair ard eyes, height, weight, con.
ditiOn of teeth, peculiartIes in build
and features, and the further mark
Of Identification | am about to pro-
pose makes Identification easy and
absolutely certain and insures the
possibility of furnishing criminals in
one state whose records in other
states entitle them to the full limit
of the law | would propose that
the convict convicted for the the
ecOnd time Of such crimes as murder,
manslaug liter, attempt to murder,
murderOus assault, highway robbery,
rape burglary, arson or larceny be
marked for life by tattooing upon
his back sufficient mark of identi-
licatjOn--say, the number of the pri-
son and his prison number, in figures
large enough to preclude the posi-
Dihty Of obliteration. Should an at
tempt be made to alter or obliterate
this mark traces, discoverable 10y
the glass If necessary would be left
sufficiently plain to make identfica-
tiOn easy. This tatOoing would do
more to reform the convict than all
the prison associations ON earth. 1t
would act as a deterrent against the
commission of crime for the second
time and an almost positive pre-
ventative against the commission OF
the third offence. Any convict con-
victed for the third time of grave Of
fence could safely be put down as
an habitual and incOrrigible criminal
and given life Imprisonment or the
lethal chamber without fear of maxi
Ing a mistake. 1t is only after the
prisoner has been found guilty of the
subsequent offence that the question
whether he has been previously con-
victed should be gone into, unless he
offers evidence of good character in
the trial for the offence, in which
case the prosecution may prove the
previous cOnvictin. But after con-
victiOn and while in prison his record
may be looked up, and if it be found
that he has been convicted before of
grave crime he must be tatooed as
the law msy specify
Every prison in the United States
should furnish every other prison
with photographs of its conyicts,
measurements by the Bertillion sys-
tenn, marks, scars, date of commits
ment, term of Imprisonment, etc.
1t will be interesting to note the
alacrity with which habitual crimin- ]
ais will get out of California after
the passage Of the proposed habtual
act. In short time sh1 |
will have purged herself Of that
most undesirable element, and the |
States not having such a law will |
have something to think over. Soon
er or later they will be compelled in |
self defence to enact a similar meas
ure. May God speed the day.
G. j. MCCoRD,
CriminOlogist.