The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1922-08-04
LET NEWSPAPERS HELP

In the Honolulu and the Hno newspapers recently there has
been a considerable amount of space both in news articles and let
against women and children. On Hawaii there was a particularly
attrOcious outrage to arouse public sentiment and from the Homo
curence that the situation has been sometimes referred to as a wave
of crime"
In some quarters severe criticism of the police has~been voiced
and that department is reported to have offered the excuse that the
victims of such crimes are slow to make reports, thus making de-
lection of the criminals the more difficult, and that when suspects
are apprehended the victims refuse to appear against them, fearing
mental suffering such as might be entaled by an experience on the
witness stand and the publication of accounts of the case.
Here is an opportunity for the newspapers to take a stand in
support of the enforcement of laws against crimes of the nature
mentioned. There are numbers of newspapers that are true to the
same ethics as the writer, which will not publish the names of Juvenile
Offenders or juvenile victims OF crimes against their sex. The writer
goes further and will not publish the name of a woman who has
been attacked or against whom an attack has been attempted.
One Eno paper recently criticised the other severely for print
ing in its news and editorial columns the name of a child of ten
years who was the unfortunate victim of brutes. The criticism was
warranted but the offending newspaper replied that there was no
harm in its use of the poor childs name as it would have to come
out on the trial when she told her story" The excuse is not a good
one and there is no necessity to print the name at the time of the
trial more than when reporting the crime.
If the newspapers of a community will agree to refrain from
the mention of the names Of such victims when reporting the crimes
or attempted crimes and later when reporting the trial of the Grimm
ais they will do much to improve the situation. Such women or girls
can be designated sufficiently by the use of the words prosecuting
witness or ''the victim - and if that were invariably done it would
go a long way toward removing the natural reluctance of such girls
and women to reporting and prosecuting such cases.
1t is mischievous to say that it is the province of a newspaper
to print all the news no matter whom it may hit or hurt There
are frequently occasions when the publication of an item or a name
would conserve no good purpose other than to satisfy the curiosity
of readers while its publication would entail poignant suffering and
grief that might run into years later and possibly spoil the life or
hVes OF innocent persons. Such cases include those of the nature
referred to above.
Maui News takes the stand that the names of juvenile deHn-
quents and the victims of "sex crimes should not be nublisbed
VIII not publish them and urges on the other newspapers of Ia-
wdi to assume the same attitude. Their columns will be cleaner and
they will be assisting and not hampcring the administration of
justice. 1t is an attitude of kindness toward the unfortunate and
one that, once understood, should have the general public approval
and the hearty support OF all who are clean minded.