The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-07-09
REDUCE CRIME
CHICAGO COURT Is A
MODEL. Il
Problem Solved by New
Municipal Tribunal,
Cities of Foreign Lands
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Good Is Already 3
Achieved.

Chicago, H., July s. - The
problem of reducing crime to a
minimum and melting out swift JUS
tice to criminals and delinquents
practically has been solved by the ad-
ministration of justice as carried on
in the new Municipal court OF Chicai
| go.
In facts and figures gwen out yes
terday by Chief Justice harry Olson
OF the Municipal court covering the
work OF the court during the first six
months of its existence, the tremen-
dous influence for good that the new
judicial body has exercised are vividly
depicted.
Not only has It's influence and power
been felt in Chicago, where in six
months II has reduced the number
of arrests by more than 10000, but the
results OF It's workings are being
watched and studied in Paris, London,
Berlin, and other large European cities
where crime conditions require eolu-
ton.
FOREIGNERS COME TO LEARN.
Many European students Of the
criminal problem" are preparing to
come to Chicago for the purpose OF
studying the machinery of the court
end it, methods Of dealing with the
thousands of cases that each month
are adjudicated by the twenty-eight
Municipal court judges, who make up
the court.
In the first six months OF its eXis-
tence the Municipal court has handled
practically $4,000 cases Of all kinds.
This is more than the entire number
Of cases handled by all the Superior,
Circuit, Criminal, and County courts
In Cook county, and all the state
courts through the state combined, in
the same period OF time.
That those who appeared for trial
before the bar Of the court were CIV
en- complete satisfaction" is indicated
by the remarkable showing that out
Of $4,000 cases, only 92 cases have
been appealed 10 higher courts. This
is declared to be without a parallel
in the history of American jurispru-
dence.
One OF the reasons Jascribed for the
low number Of appeals taken from the
Municipal court decisions Is that the
higher courts can reverse It's decisions
only on the merits Of the case making
II impossible 10 have cases reversed
on technicalitles, such as pleading
and practice" -f1
EARNS RESPECT FOR LAW.
In the matter OF creating whole
some respect for law, the new court
has been prominently successful BY
its businesslike methods Of procedure
speedy trials and rigorous adherence 10
i the law and 10 the fundamental prin-
ciples OF justice, the court through its
judges has compelled the vicious, the
criminally inclined and offenders of
every description TO take notice that
infraction of the law will be dealt with
summarily without fear or favor. The
court already has broken the power
formerly welded by cheap politicians
over the old justices OF the peace and
the constables who preyed upon tho
vicious and unfortunates of society.
What the effect Of the court has
been in the matter Of reducing crime
In Chicago Is shown by comparison
OF the number OF arrests made by the
police during the period from Dec. ],
1906, TO June /, 1906, with the arrests
for the corresponding period In 1896
to 1907. the first six months In which
the new court has been in operation.
In the first period the police arrest
ed 49,793 persons for felonies, misde-
meanors, and violation OF city ordi-
nances. While the court has been In
operation only 1880 arrests were
made for similar offenses. This is
%, 1853 fewer arrests for violation Of the
law than during the similar period in
the year before.
MORE GUILTY ARE PUNISHED.
As a result of the work OF the court
the number OF persons punished for
criminal offenses has increased, In
the period from Dec /, 1905, to June
/, 1906. the Criminal court of Cook
county sent TO the county Jail 224
persons.
This year, in the corresponding per-
iod. the Criminal court sent to the
county jail 202 persons. and the NUM-
cipai court swelled this number by
ZIG, making AIS persons incarcerated
In the county jail by the two courts.
During the same period a year ago
the Criminal court sent to the house
of correction 2s3 persons. In the cor
corresponding period this year the
Criminal court sent to the house OF
correction 106 persons and the NUM-.
cipal court sent 6SS for state misde-
meanors, making 1893 persons sent to
the house of correction by the two
courts.
The Criminal court sent to the peni-
tentiary 1b1 persons during the CORES
ponding six months year ago. Dur
ing the first six months of the NUM-
cipal court ii has sent TO the peniten-
tiary jointly with the Crmnal court 1870
persons.
Thus, 729 more persons have been
punished for violation Of the laws dur
ing the first half year of the existence
of the Municipal ootrt than during
the corresponding period one year
ago. eU