The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1921-09-03
SPEEDY JUSTICE
CURES CRIMINALS
sToo Much MOllycoddling" Sims
Tells American Bar AssO-
ciation Members.

Win luN preservation VI law anu OE-
der in the community than the sew
Gritty of punishment. 1t was the
speedy action of the vigilance COM
mittee, In the frontier days of Cali
fornia, in administering swift and
certain punishment, more than the
severity of the punishment, that
brought back order in that state.
Criminal laws bear close analo-
gy to natural laws. A child puts
its hand in the fire but once. One
experience is sufficient. 1t is not
necessary that the injury be severe.
The natural law is effective, be-
cause the punishment is always in
stant and certain. On the other
hand, where punishment is slower
and farther removed from the viola
tion we ind tendency among hu-
mans to offend with much less con-
Germ.
GRAVE MISTAKE no HAMPER
THE LAW.
1T Us a grave mistake to in any
way interfere with, impede or ham
per the enforcement of existing laws
which have been centuries in devel-
opments at least until the experiment
has been thoroughly tested and found
to be practical.
The City Of Chicago offers an ex-
ample Of the effect which the speedy
trial Of criminal cases has on the
volume of crime. Chicago has no
more crime proportionately than
other large cities"
Three years ago the Chicago AS
ISOLATION of Commerce appointed and
financed crime commission. This
commission is not reform organiza-
tion. 1t does not of itself undertake
the apprehension nor the prosecu-
tion of criminals. 1t does not du-
plicate the work of any official or
department of government. 1t is an
organization of lawyers and business
men, assigned the duty of ascertain
ing why there is so much crime ard
taking steps to effect a reduction.
In most American cities the eTi-
that there is better than a $3.50
chance that he will never be arrest
ed. If arrested there stands between
him and actual punishment the pos
sibility of escape on inadequate or
STRAW" bail. During long time
of continuances the disappearance or
death of the states witnesses is pro-
bable. Other avenues of escape are
disagreement Of the jury, new trial,
probation by the trial judge, appeal
to higher courts, reversal, another
triaE and, If finally convicted and
the conviction sustained on appeal,
there still remains the possibility of
parole or pardon.
CRIME AS AN OCCUPATION.
"a certain volume of crime is in
evitable in every community. It is
not accidental crime, resulting from
passionate outbursts, which is stir
ring our communities. 1t is the
growing belief that in our large ci-
ties crime has become an establish
ed occupation, carried on by men
who have dedicated themselves to the
business. This belief is warranted
by the fact that very frequently
members of the same gang of crimi-
mails accumulate number of addi-
tional indictments covering offenses
committed while out on bail await
ing trial for the first offense.
IF American cities expect to sue
cessfully cope with the problem Of
reducing crime, they must under
stand the criminal. There has been
too much Ineddling with the enforce
ment Of the criminal laws by we'll
meaning people who do not under
stand crime or criminals.
"The criminal does not talk the
language Of the honest citizen, and
the average law-abiding citizen does
not seem able to comprehend that
the principles of honesty, humanity
and justice which govern the citi-
zen's conduct have no place in the
mind of the criminal.
THE inexorable use Of the lawful
fierce of government is the only way
TO combat the unlawful use of force
by the criminal.
There has been too much molly
coddling of the less than one-third
Of one per cent of the population
hich is criminal. We seem to have
forgotten that the small fraction of
cur population which happens to pc
temporarily imprisoned in jalls and
penitentiaries is there because it
should be punished.
HOW TO REDUCE CRIME.
In my opinion American cities
which find that they are suffering
from waves of crime can promptly
effect reduction by speeding up
their machinery so that all criminal
cases are tried and disposed of with
in 80 or SO days Of the commission
of the offense.
"Chicago's answer to crime and
lawlessness was clear the dockets Of
the criminal court and keep them
clear and the records show it was
most effective answer.
There is unquestionably strong
feeling on the part Of lay citizens
that lawyers are. responsible for the
laws and their administration. If
this feeling actually exists does not
the American Bar owe duty to the
several communities to ascertain the
facts and take stems as a urofaesfof1
to speed up the legal machinery Of
law in criminal cases ~