The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-04-19
SHORTCOMINGS OF
NEW YORK JUSTICE

We have seen that the arrests for
felony In New York county have IN
creased twice as quickly rs the popula.
tion during the last seven years, and
that in 5s per cent of all arrests con-
victions are secured Now let us turn
TO the statistics of convictions and ac-
quittals in New York county:
During the twenty years. 1857 70
1907. convictions were secured FOR
homicide in n per cent of all cases
tried, During tho past seven years,
however, convictions have been secured
in only 50 per cent. In New York
county during the year 1907 convic-
tions were secured in 90 per cent of all
felony eases brought 10 trial.
And Yet in 20 TO 90 per cent Of all
arrests for serious crimes tho prisoner
goes free. Tho leakage occurs mainly
through the inability of the detective
force 10 secure adequate evidence for
presentation to the grand iuries.
OF the Si3 arrests for homicide made
within the five boroughs of Greater
New York in 1907 only 100 cases were
submitted 10 the grand jurics in the
county of New York. Allowing every
advantage against the inevitable do
ductions that we shall have TO draw.
we may assume, in the absence of sta
tistical information, that during this
same period 200 cases were submitted
10 Inc STHnu .IUTlOS hllnln ln' DNH Dor
oughs. This means that CAS- of those
arrested for homicide went free before
they ran the gauntlet Of these archaic
but interesting survivals of medieval
Justice.
OF 90 persons arrested for arson dur
ing the same period Just 1S-ou the
same estimatc-reachcd the grand
iurics.
OF 3117 persons arrested for burg
/ llr haf ,,,rs. 4.
rack. The rest had been discharged at
an earlier period in the proceedings.
And 4044 cases Of grand larceny
were investigated by the grand jurics
out of 6s92 arrests. The other 2S4S
were discharged at an earlier period in
tho proceedings.
That is to say, IS per cent OF all per
sons arrested for homicide were set
free before the grand iurics iuvcsti-
gated their cases; ~ per cent of those
arrested for arson; 80 per cent Of those
| arrested for burglary; al per cent of
those arrested for grand larceny.
But the submission Of n case 10 n
grand jury by no means renders the
case of the accused hopeless. Let us
examine the returns for the county of
New York during the year 1907. Here
have the figures in black and white
Of lO9 charges of homicide which
came before them the grand iurics dis
missed Al; l3 were subsequently dis
charged. and 10 acquitted. The grand
iurics dismissed 5 out Of arson sus-
poets, and 3 more were subsequently,
discharged without trial The grand
juncs dismissed l3l ont Of $50 per
sons accused Of burglary; ld7 were dis
charged subsequently and $50 acquit-
ted. Grand iurics dismissed 4S4 per
sons charged with grand larceny, out
of 2O22; 40 were subsequently, dis
| charged, and 200 acquitted
Justice in New York is succession
or slcves, with constantly narrowing
mcshcs; perhaps this is what Justice
ought TO bc-only the police sieve has
mcshes so wide that whales and sea-
| serpcnts arc able to slip through with
the. mInnows. IT is here that the vast
majority Of suspects cscapc-betwecn
| arrest and the grand Juries. There is
not evidence enough 10 hold them
Victor Rousseau, in Harper's Weekly.