The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-10-03
The Identification of Criminals.

| ptl teIlt VI TIE pOpulatlol ma kG
Il all the trouble which loads
upon the people of the United
| States an annual cost for crime
exceeding the cost of the federal gov
ernment OH a war footing, and that
| only a small part of that fractious
fraction is in prison at one time, stu
dents of penology have long studied
| how best to identify the criminal class
that is, how best to keep accurate
records of those who are unsafe citi-
Zens.
By general consent, the system of
identification invented twenty-five
years ago by DR.. Alphonse Bertilon,
of Paris, and named after him, is the
| best device of its kind known. Many
who read and speak of it know little
about it. III his new book, 1.-The Sci
ence of Penology," Colonel Boies pre-
sents a description of it in detail that
would well repay perusa. The Ber-
tillon system is based upon the law
that nature never produces two indi-
viduals exactly alike in every detail.
When a criminal is caught certain
| measurements are taken and recorded,
| together with Il description of ply
sical peculiarities. These signalments,
classified and indeXed that it is possi-
bic in a moments time to identify ac-
curately and virtually beyond possi-
bility of mistake any person whose sig
nalment has been taken at an age
later than ten years.
This having been clearly proved,
Colonel Boes argues for the establish
ment in Washington of central bu-
reau for the collection of the signal
ments of all the criminal class in North
America, with legal provisions impos-
ing upon all magistrates ana police
departments the duty of filing the
signalments of all arrested persons
to the records. Eventually he would
have the census bureau include in it's
enumeration the signalment of every
inhabitant of ten years of age or over.
When this shall have been accom-
plished the detection and identification
of the whole criminal class in the coun-
try will, he contends, be easily eff
fected, while the Investigations of COR
oners, the Identification of the un-
known dead, the prosecution of claims
for life insurance, personal permits,
passports, the payment of drafts,
checks and money orders, and all doc
uments requiring personal idcntifica-
wnIlI n lV
tated and protected. "It would thus"
he adds, "become possible TO find any
person whenever it might be desirable
for his own good or that of others;
mysterious djsappearances would de-
crease, crime be greatly suppressed,
elections purified, MISUNDERSTANDING
obviated, immigration laws more cf-
fectively enforced, much injustice pre-
vented and business relations greatly
facilitated" AS the system should
become universal these advantages
would increase.
Especially useful would such IA plan
be in sitting migration. Colonel Boies
proposes that every immigrant be re-
quired to bring signalistic passport
certifying to his good character and
sound physical and mental health,
verified by responsible officials at the
place of his former residence and by
the nearest foreign representative of
our government. These passports
should then be tested by the signal
| ments of the central bureau which
have been made from the nationality
of the Immigrant, thereby establish
ing probabilities of good behavior. The
filing of those passports would facili-
tate Identification and return if in five
years the immigrant shall commit
crime or become public charge.