Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-07-01
CRIME AND ITS CURE
Big Body of Penal Reformers
Plan Great Work.
NATIONAL IN ITS SCOPE.
American Institute Of Criminal Law
and Criminology Formed In Chicago.
Many Ch1nses In Methods Of Deal
ing With Social Offenders Mapped
Out-Crime Journal Proposed.

Many Ch1nses In Methods Of Deal
ing With Social Offenders Mapped
Out-Crime journal Proposed.
The entire subject Of American
criminal Jurisprudence and the treat
ment Of criminals is to come under
the close study of experts in the next
year in way never before attempted
in the United States as result of
the national conference on criminal
law and criminology which recently
ended it's sessions in Chicago.
With the unanimously expressed
opinion that there are defects almost
too numerous to catalogue in the Grim
inal law and in the handling Of Grim
tnals in the United States today the
experts who were gathered at the
conference decided to investigate
through subcommittee the topics
which were under discussion for two
days.
The conference also formed itself
into permanent organization. The
name Of the body is the American In
stitute Of Criminal Law and Grim
fnology. 1t will hold meetings annual
~ hereafter, which will be attended,
it is hoped, by jurists, lawyers, doc
tors, alienists. clergymen, criminolo-
gfsts, prison officials and many others
interested in all that pertains to the
criminal problem Of America.
The entire subject OF American
criminology is to be brought under
the microscope Of experts in the ex-
pectation that great benefits will re-
suit to the public at large. The most
advanced nations of Europe, it was
declared at the conference, are far in
advance Of the United States in the
handling of criminals and in the ad-
ministration Of criminal law, and it is
the avowed intention of the new or
ganization to place the United States
on a par with the other first class
powers Of the world in matters relat-
ing to criminology.
Over his own objection Dean John
III. Wigmore of the Northwestern Uni
versity Law school was elected the
first president of the institute.
The three sections of the conference
reported to the entire assemblage In
the afternoon. Their reports covered
I'm general terms the whole realm of
criminal law and crimlnology, show
ing that in the opinion Of those max
ing up the reports there are scores of
defects In these matters in the United
States today.
Out Of the great mass Of recon-
mendaions submitted to it the confer
5ence selected the following subjects
as those which are to be studied dur
ing the next year by subcommittee,
which will report back to the newly
formed institute at its next annual
meeting:
The complex factors combining to en-
courage and establish the persistent Of
fender, particularly with reference to he
reditary faint and disability.
The influence attaching to the trafhc in
drugs and intoxtcants as q widespread ex-
citant to instability, in turn provocative
OF crime.
An effective system for recording the
physical and moral status and the hered-
1inQuency.
The evils OF imprisonment, particularly
those due to the tndiscrtminate mfnGlinG
in jails and other institutions OF persons
OF different ages and of varying degrees
Of delinquency.
OF adult probation.
The extension and regulation of the pa
role system, the indeterminate sentence
and the modification and suspension Of
sentences.
Monetary and other naturalization of
parsons acquitted OF criminal charges
The qualifications and training of MEM
bers of boards Of pardon and boards of
parole and the correlation Of such boards |
with one another and with the courts.
The notorious abuses Of expert testi-
mony and the possibility Of establishing |
commissions Of specialists, which may be |
draYr upon tor impartial expert testi- |
Unifcation OF courts. It was declared
that the judicial system should be reor-
Ban1zed so as to bring about unity and |
simplicity OF organization and do away
with the burdensome cost of transcripts, |
bills OF exception and writs Of error, al |
lowing the appellate tribunal to pass upon |
and use the same papers and the original !
evidence and comments used at the trial. |
and to take further evidence on formal |!
matters or matters not controverttble for ]
the purpose Of unfolding judgments.
Fair and speedy trials.
Impartial but prompt selection Of intel |
ngeut Jurors.
Appeals and reversals.
Expert testimony and the best method |
OF trying the issue Of insanity.
The simplification and amendment of
pleadings.
The subcommittee, in whose hands j
the work Of considering these subjects
has been left, will consider the aues-
lions in detail and will make compre-
hensfve reports next year.
e It is the plan Of the institute officials
at that time to formulate recommen-
dations to congress as to changes in
the federal laws which may be neces-
sary to bring about desired improve
ments, while recommendations will
also probably be made to the various
state legislatures as to changes In the
state LAWS. In the opinion Of the ex-
perts on criminology who composed
the conference, one of the most neces-
sary things IN the United States today
Is to bring into closer uniformity the
laws Of the different states.
2 frA .EGES-s Z ~.