The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-25
REFORM OF THIRD DEGREE.

REFORM OF THIRD DEGREE.
A committee of the Senate of the United States
II to investigate the police practice of the third
than take the undignihed course of recon-
mendation, is no. evident in the circumstances.
but the fact that the countrys conscience has
been so far stirred as call for the appointment
OF the committee gives the hope that pubic
opinion nay soon or late take in charge what
is an abuse of long standing Few people real.
inc either the prevalence OF third degree meth
b. the police In almost every large city. For
the end of second rate effectiveness crimes are
committed in the of justice which put the
principle to blush. Inhumanities are per-
petrated which make the dark ages and their
methods light by comparison. For every red
handed criminal whose conviction is secured
By means Of mental and physical torture.
dozen innocent men are "sweated' in the isoa-
fion OF police stations sometimes to their death.
4 sometimes to mental collapse, in all probability
occasionally to extorted confessions of crimes
OF which they entirely unaware. So far has
1 the practice pervaded the entire police SYSTEM
aof the cities that the force considers and
4 acts AZ though II were utterly above and beyond
SAll legal restraint. The right of bail Is fragrant
Ix4v denied. Arrests made without warrant. or
- warrant charging information and belief,
when there is basis even for this intangible
AarSe Police justices deal with trivial cases
Nth utter disregard of the evidence. An ir-
So1ponsible autocracy rears itself upon the po-
ESl9cN station and, with an assumption of salts
@nod wisdom, laughs at the suggestion of rights
|RAnd liberty in those unfortunate enough to come
s#1n contact with Its whimsical practice.
M Insofar all this is distinctly unlawful as
sSat is In direct conflict with both the letter and
spirit OF laws and constitutions, it is meet that
Bst obtain at the hands OF Congressional Com
|xnittee thorough illumination remedy might
q TN suggested. for instance for the barbarous
system that denies to the individual un1ustly
q arrested abused by the police some redress
h against the responsible municipality. Some
method might be suggested whereby city could
IN nO longer turn loose with impunity horde oi
q ckEcers backed by the authority of the law, but
sscarrying on the other hand no obligation to the
asggEitizen except private citizens. Above all
MI might be pointed out with elearness what the
police are doing In the name of law, that the
X Ereat body of the people, who have no rela-
u Hon to the police, could be prepared to act
S1gainst the abuses which are committed In their
y name. So far the committee can go; It does
mot appear that It can go further.
The third degree win. we believe. yield part
ssnily 10 awakened public sentiment, but Ii can
81 not be entirely reformed until the defect In the
judicial system, which 1t is designed to meet
hall be remedied With judicial system where
f@nU. with competent counsel, II Is practically
S 1nnposible to have a trial of reasonable length
&Sunder which every statute and fiction and pre-
#8Nodent seems designed to make the course OF
$s1nstice difficult and the escape Of the criminal
|SI1sy, It Is natural that the police should have
xegun at the other end and devised a system
*Se manufactured evidence to meet the artificial
#nNyantage OF the criminal when he is brought
&sto book before the courts. The development Is
BGlmply practical policing. justified by circum
kAnces in the beginning and proceeding to UNI
ntidahle lengths in Its practice SO does every
&3nGnI subterfuge run its course when designed
&a2pr the third degree waits not on a committee
$n0t even entirely on public sentiment. but ON a
3eform OF the judicial methods which called ii
Into being.