Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-14

of ancient history, as well as large
percentage of the modern, but 1t has
never been reduced to an exact
science. 1t is a question if we are not
/ further from the goal now than ever
before.
4 A large part of our present society,"
while protesting to abhor crime, Is
perfectly willing that many OF the
grossest be licensed just as long as
this helps to lubricate the Social
"skids" upon which they slide.
To make an analysis of the GRIM
inal the cause for his being must nrst
he sought and the reason for the COM
nnitment of crime. In doing this the
criminal cIas ses must first be summed
nm as those that commit crime for the
following reasons; Temptation, I'M
nulse. natural viciousness, hereditary
influences or necessity.
Temptation-Under this head IS usu-
ally found the dishonest servants,
clerks. shoplifters and juvenile ofteno-
ers. but not the professional thieves.
There are many who are guilty OF
these particular offenses by way Oh
livelihood, but most of them are un-
| fortunate. who for the first time com
r,;t orin,e thronsh temptation. and
whose salaries will not permit them
to purchase the finery dear to all
feminine hearts. or are tempted py
| the display of articles in the depart
ment stores. Many young men aho
women are suddenly tempted some
thing happens that cannot be con-
trolled. They are not criminals, they
must be dealt with patiently A BANK
clerk, unable to resist the tempta-
ton of stealing a package of bills
from the teller's cage. These ana va
rious other reasons make the tempta-
ton. criminal, so called. They are
usually placed, when caught, on pro-
bation and in the majority of cases
never again commit a similar crime
Impulse-These are usually those
that go wrong through bad associa-
lions. or the commitment of crime
upon the impulse of the moment
Under this heading, we might class
manslaughter and even murder at
times. assault and battery cases and
malicious mischief. Although at
times committing serious crime in
the eyes of the law. these people are
also worthy and deserving of leni-
ency.
Natural Viciousness and heredity
These are usually the professional
thieves. Under this heading we find
highway robbers, knockout men,
house burglars and the usual cate
CORY of habitual criminals.
Necessity-Those under this last
head are the most deserving of SYM
pathy and a helping hand. They
commit crime through necessity
They become criminals through hun
ger or want.
Criminologists' Study.
Many criminologists of the old
school have made an exhaustive
study of the facial expression, also
the formation of the head, etc, of
criminals. Many claim that they are
and have been able to determine
criminal by his face. The writer does
not agree with them in this respect
or in the theory of the criminal face
"a face may be cold, hard, brutal,
cunning, ruffianly, coarse, charming,
smiling, benevolent. refined, anything
you like specifically, but there is no
specific conformation of bone, flesh
or expression that may be determined
as criminal The present day GRIM
malls face Is entirely void of GRIM
inal suggestion and his picture shows
him to be a nourished, WELL
eroomed, pleasant-looking youns
man.
The crime type is an empty phrase.
If the denizens of the underworld,
other than those just mentioned, were
as well nourished and as well
groomed as those who live in the
light of day, and if they were not
physically debauched, they would not
appear different from other folk.
Is Crime Disease?
Crime should, we would naturally
suppose, be greatly on the decrease,
owing to the advanced stage of civ
ilization, the present compulsory edu-
cation facilities, sanitary homes, etc,
but on the contrary it is on the
increase, and the question arises, Is
crime a disease?
Crime is defined as conduct (either
of commission or omission) of which
the law disapproves and for which 1t
demands penalty. An act that sub
jects the perpetrator to legal punish
ment. an act wherein the intent is
criminal, is called a disease by some.
Others say it is an offense which the
law Furnishes directly as distinguish
ed from an offense which 1t Furnishes
indirectly by giving an action for
damages to the person injured; still
others say that, while it is possible
to give a definition of crime which
NAV hold good for all time and for
all countries, it by no means follows
| that crime is always and everywhere
| the same, On the contrary, the
growth and changes of criminal laws
are among the most curious monu>
ments of revolution in public opinion
as displayed by legislation. That
which is but a moral lapse in one
generation may become a criminal
| offense in another. So also deeds
which may be considered praise
worthy at one period may at another
he punishable. In early times, IL Is
said that murder, robbery and rape
were not looked upon as crimes, at
| least not as we consider them.
Felonies and Misdemeanors.
| In common usage crime is made to
denote such offenses as are of deeper
| and more atrocious cast, while smaller
faults are comprised under the gentle
name of misdemeanors. The distinc,
tion between felonies and misdemean-
ors is not easily drawn and is found
ed. IL anything, on the nature of the
| ,,,,niehrneut and not on the crime
So many crimes have been created
misdemeanors by statute that do not
differ in character from felonies that