Evening star., 1926-10-19
Crime. Curbing Laws Needed.

Gov. Moore of New Jersey, stirred
by the recent crimes Of banditry COM
mitted in that State, proposes to lay
before the Legislature at a special
session beginning November Is a
message recommending three drastic
changes in the laws. He will ask that
life sentences be imposed on all found
guilty Of banditry; that all habitual
criminals, even though not convicted
of banditry. will be given life sen.
tences, and that the Legislature pass
an act to speed the trials Of criminals
and to lessen delays and appeals.
1t is probable that these recon.
mendations will be adopted and that
New Jerseys laws will be strength.
ened by the means and to the extent
the governor proposes. That State
has been the scene Of numerous
crimes Of late. The most recent one,
an attack by gang of highly efficient
highwaymen upon mail truck.
shocked the country. The men got
away, but If they had been caught
at once. the procedure Of trial would
have been slow and the penalties ad-
ministered, save in the case of the
actual slayers, would have been
merely penitentiary terms of no great
length and subject to reduction for
good behavior
OF the three recommendation
which Gov. Moore proposes to make
to the Legislature that relating to
speedier trials and fewer delays
through appeals is the most impor-
tant. It makes but little difference
what the penalties provided by the
law may be if the processes Of trial
and ultimate punishment are pro.
tracted. The most urgent need in this
country today is for swifter justice.
In this connection should be noted
an effort by an organization in New
York County Of grand Jurors, men
who have served in that capacity in
the past and who take an interest in
matters Of public welfare, and espe-
cially in crime prevention and punish.
ment. A committee of this associa-
ton has appealed to the State COM
mission to study, with a view Of find
ing remedy, the bail-bond evil preva.
lent in that jurisdiction. It is esti-
mated that there are 332 criminal bail
bond agents doing business for surety
companies in New York, and 237 pro-
fessional bondsmen operating with
cash and real estate as security.
Many of these share the offices of
members Of the bar specializing in
criminal cases. 1t Is believed that
there is a virtual partnership between
the bondsmen and the lawyers. There
is also some underground connection
between these professional bondsmen
and the police. The result is that
almost Immediately after arrests are
made bondsmen are on the spot, bail
is offered, men are freed and lawyers
are engaged prepared to fight off trial.
Under a recent enactment Of the
New York Legislature known as the
AoauhACc A1W tAAo PiOSCoS VI pAOAoc-
sional bonding is somewhat limited,
and judges are held to a stricter &C.
countability for the granting Of lib.
erty to persons against whom there is
plain evidence of guilt. and especially
people with bad records. However,
the old evil prevails to a great extent,
and now it is proposed to investigate
this business Of securing the immedi.
ate release of professional criminals.
A further enactment by the Legisla.
ture is possible.
The evil Of easy bail prevails in
this jurisdiction as well as in New
York, and should have the immediate
attention Of Congress In its considera.
ton Of means Of lessening crime in
WASHINGTON