The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-31

at l. apparent Ia any one familiar
with the work of the criminal courts the
value that such n directory Of info; ma
ton will ave. one ~ the main causss
of delay aad uncertainty IN the rosul; of
"A criminal trial is the indefinite system;
OF pleading. whereby a defendant may
set up 4 plea Of mot guilty and wat
until AL the evidence In the states case
II IN and then decide whether his real
defence will be an alibi or sclf-defance.
for example.
81: Is az this roint nat the spirit ~
gans loyalty appears ard the man On
trial VIII persuade his gang frienGs to
testify thai he was ut some other place
when the crime was committed, thus cS-
tahlishing an abb. II a directory OF in
formation We're kept Of the members OF
criminal gangs such witnesses would
frequently I've discredited when cross-rx-
animation disclosed their a~filiatiou with
the crim.nal element. In this way, While
IL would cause 20 inconvenience Ia an
Innocent man. II you'd t~c"tly
strengthen the safes ease aLa.n-t a zeal
criminal and thus odd notably to the
efficiency - the office.
q CourTc such records ~ Md p (,
b. ia aay sense. public documents and
could not he used for purposes OF black
mail. they would merely be official PM
vatc information cor the use ~ the Dis
trict Attorneys office ard would con-
prise such Information as is now Sc 'u:.d
only afr great difficulty and often too
lat" 70 h. % any particular neue'tt a.
the trial II Is a practical application
Of the doctrine OF prepa-edn',s AZ APP
piled 10 the District Attorneys office.
Crime Is not de'r.asiug. The records
81 the courts show more cases every
year, and IL !. 4 part of the duty 81
every public official TO bring his de-
partincrt To tn. highest pit,h OF cffc'-
ency in accord with the demands of tn.
time. Modern mechanical inventions
have made the commission OF s,rne
forms Of crimes easier and safer. Ger
tainty and celebrity Of conviction In cases
OF guilt IL "A strong deterrent and Il IL
for this purpose that y department Of
more complete and fuller Identification
and records should he Kept. II Il Grim
!nal realizes that there is "A li%k.lihpni
OF the District Attorneys ufi'" already
having a complete history of INN .u'l
using II IN any proper way II he apl.str1
either - a defendant or as a pevju-cd
witness he viii be less Likely 10 take
chances when he knows that he is more
certain 10 he convicted II guilty.
This Is IN line with the ucw echoo.
Of criminology which refuses To couiiu'
itself 10 the mere fact that a crime has
been committed. hut insists upon l"n.-
trating the subject and cnd.tvoriuc To-
discover the cause and remedy. Such 4
directory ~ criminals would also have .
bearing Oh the punishment melted out
IN case uf conviction and would i'm this
way be beneficial To the criminal him
self. The modern view OF punishment
does not consider society az av-ugiu;
itself or the criminal. but as -~ndcuvor-
ing 10 reform him and turn him out a
useful member Of society. putting him
~ his feet again.
The Judge must act after the method
OF a physician who diagnoses "A patients
condition anu applies those remedies that
are most Appropriate FOR the particular
disease; TO act wisely he mus Nave q
history ~ the ease. and this is just what
such q directory would furnish him.
The Judge and District Attorney
could better determine whether the pris-
oncr IN an instructive criminal whose
mind had naturally a criminal bent. VINO
commits crime whenever favorable oc-
CASTOR offers, q criminal from acquired
habit. OF the occasional offender with
weak will power. and could arrange the
sentence accordingly. not making the
sentence ~ the crime, but fit the Grim
iral."