The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-07-28
CRIME AND CRIMINALS

''At the recent meeting of the
American Bar Association there was
much discussion concerning the pre-
| valence Of crime in the United States
and what was termed by one Of the
speakers a lack of vigorous enforce
ment Of the criminal laws" says The
Manitoba Free Press.
1T was announced that the
| number of criminals was In.
creasing according to the figures
supplied by former Governor
Whitman, of New York, the
number of murders in New York
City in 1921 was 26O, while there
were only 63 murders in England
and Wales, which had seven times
the population Of that city. Another
speaker claimed that approximately
10000 murders were committed In
the United States in 1923, SO times
as many occurred in England and
Wales. In United States he wen.
on, life and property are less secnr.
from criminal violence than in an,
ether country on the globe that is
not in state Of barbarism.'
Another statement was that the
majority Of the inmates OF pehl-
tentiaries south Of the line are under
rs years Of age.
Perusal Of Canadian newspapers
would lead one to the conclusion that
at least insofar as the commitment
Of crime is concerned Canada is also
reaching for place on ti,at bad
eminence. Statistics, however, sup
piled by the Dominion Bureau in
dictate that we are still q long dis
lance behind the figures quoted for
the United States. In 1921 there
were IS murder charges in Canada
and II convictions; in 1922, so
charges and l9 convictions. Of man.
slaughter charges there wee 50 in
1921 and 80 convictions; in 1922, So
charges and As convictions. In 1921
the total OF criminal offenses was
2s4 per 100000 Of population; and
in 1922. 26s Ger lU9.1,O.
so far, however, as the ages OF
the inmates Of our penitentiaries are
concerned Canada's record is in pain
full accord with that Of the United
States.
"ln the year 1922 there were 81
convicts under 20 years u age and
1,242 between the ages Of 20 and
80, this out of a total Of 2.6iJ.
from 1915 and 1t is significant to
note that this proportion is main
tanned in every case. In the section
of juvenile delinquency, also, Can
sda's showing is not a matter Of
congratulation, the number of de-
linquents under l6 convicted of malol
offenses during 1922 being 4,065
against 1874 in 1921, an increase
of 1877 per cent.
Police Commissioner En-ight
of New York City, holds tina.
the enforcement f the law
is not responsible, but that
lack Of home training and indn
ference to religion, plays and NOV
ing picture shows are responsible
for the new psychological outlook
of lot Of young men ana women.
Still Great Britain, with its crowded
centers and exposed to these very
influences which Commissioner In
right catalogues, has away an.
above better record than United
States and much better proportion
ately than Canada.
$50 far as our attitude towards
the tragedies Of youthful criminals
is concerned, Canada's first care
must be the safety of society. After
that, however, she has a duty to
the criminals themselves and to all
others who might be lured by the
false thrill Of that adventure whose
ultimate wages are death. The most
important part of that duty is to
make crime difficult. If Great
Britain has learned more effective
way than we to fulfill this duty, let
US find what it is and apply IT.
Fargo Forum.