The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1921-07-12
WHY CRIMINALS FLOURISH.

,,,;; i; come measure but not iustyng the action OF
men who are moved become aw-yoaors by assuming 10 'a
mon themselves duties Of those who are delegated py e
@ n enforce the law the well known fact that so many
nersons who commit manage 10 evade the penay 'o
M If Texas has been discussing this matter before the people
o( his state and has given out some figures wheh are wo"V "
more than passing attention Referring to the governors s
tics and commenting editorialy the Dallas news says
"One sees at that OF the 25S2 convicted OF having
Cd the laws during the years 1919 and 1920 considerably less a
half were ever the inside oi the pen'ehaes %
ne sees that Of that half than half escaped u payment OF
the laws penalties either by escaping or beng pauo"eu o [ nu
ed although paroled convict Is true enjoys us0o
rather than remission OF the laws penaues Inc '"a' %
larger showing is that during those years the laws were al
lowed to collect their full from little less than 10 per
cent of those who had incurred their penalties Or to state
conversely something than 80 percent OF those VINO ad III
Cured punishment were allowed escape making payment
ow many guilty men have escaped conviction in the
couhouses there ofcouse way OF knowing But w"
not impress anyone being eNaggeraon to say that the mum
her of guilty men who conviction in the courhoueS Is
great enough Justify the that less than III percent oil
those who violate the criminal of the state punished
the full degree which the laws authorize and prescribe con
convicted more than half suffer penalty whatever and oil
those upon whom penalty imposed again more than hall es
DNhv there is so much crime in becomes very simple
eson in the light of these 1t because under laws
and practices probability OF being punished much less than
the probability of escaping punishment FOR the man OF cra
impulse who tempted commit crime and particularly II 1t
crime promising profit the change OF escaping punishment
large enough make the law virtually mpoten deterrent
are under the commit In the law they can
see something easily cheated justify them in disregardng
when considering the adysabty OF carrying out criminal en-
terpre They large chance of escaping detection
and arrest large chance of convic
ton if detected and arrested and they count large
chance the practical certainty many instances OF
escaping sentence If convicted And finally they count
large escaping the pententary through OF several
they should be unfortunate as to have been arrest
ed convicted and sentenced
"Ate ALL is surprising that there is much crime in
Texas Rather the astonishing thing is that there not much
more"
With variations which unimportant what Gov Neff and
the News say with reference Texas probably equally true in
regard to Oklahoma 1t condition which calls for se
Gus reflection upon the part of citizen The remedies for
lie the hands OF peace officers courts legislators and the
people themselves including the members OF the legal profession
That it possible make the OF justice swfter and more
certain simplifying the procedure criminal cases is
hardly open question: and this reform will be brought about
when people demand Various other suggestions of merit
have offered by those who especially interested in sup
pressing crime The crime will be checked when the
gravity Of the existing suato fully recognized and all
good citizens apply themselves to the Solution OF the problem