The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-07
Shafer Urges Another
Fight For Passage
of Death Penalty Bill
CONTINUED from page one)

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of criminal identification and investi-
CATION.
Extended arguments supporting
each Of the last three proposed laws
were presented in the report.
Discussing capital punishment the
committee said. 1T is the opinion
Of your committee that crime condi-
tions in North Dakota have not
reached that point of Improvement
where it is safe 10 do without the
restraining influence Of the extreme
penalty. In recent years North Da
kota has become an inviting field for
the operation Of the professional
criminals of the country; men who
will not hesitate to take human life
as means to promote their profeS-
sion OF robbery and burglary in this
state A bill to restore capital
punishment was submitted to the
last session Of the legislature but was
defeated. evidently for the reason
that il did not appear to the majority
Of the legislature that public senti-
ment favored the reservation Of
capital punishment in North Dakota
at this time
Jury System Weak
In its discussion Of the proposal
10 establish the commission system Of
selecting jurors. the report gives
it AS "the settled Judgment Of all
practicing lawyers. as we'll as many
others, that our present system is
especially weak as regards the char
acter and qualifications Of the per
sons often selected for jury service.
and that ''in some Jurisdictions it is
complained that the professional
juror evil exists in malignant form.
The proposed jury commission
would be appointed by the district
court and would "select better class
of citizens for jury service than now
results from our present system
In its argument for state bureau
Of criminal identification and invest-
cation the committee points out that
most Of the discussion and study Of
ways Of improving the administra
ton Of criminal justice has been de-
voted to the question Of trial pro-
cedure and punishment and that i'm
portant business Of catching the
criminals has been neglected.
Facilities Inadequate
Pointing out that the three steps
in the enforcement Of criminal laws
are the apprehension, trial and pun
ishment Of offenders, the committee
AYERS that facilities for catching
criminals are wholly inadequate in
the light Of modern conditions.
The criminal Identification bureau.
be charged with coordinating the
activities Of all police officers in the
state. 1t would maintain "a central
office for the compilation and dis
semination Of information relating
to crimes and criminals: coordinate
the efforts of police officers in all
parts Of the state and cooperate with
the police OF other states as we'll
as obtain such cooperation; assist To-
cal police in investigating crimes and
apprehending criminals in unusual
cases by furnishing expert officers
''versed in crime detection" and in
finger print methods. The proposed
bureau would be controlled by an
executive to be appointed by the gov
ernor, attorney general and warden
of the state prison. The identified
ton system of the state prison easily
could be expanded to provide all
necessary Identification data. the re-
port said, and declared that 1.-The
time has come when the state should
make an intelligent effort to identify
and label all persons who follow the
all persons with criminal records"
Crime is State Wide Problem
Universal use of the automobile
has made it possible for criminals to
commit felonious act and to leave
the state within few hours. This.
it said, has resulted in making crime
a statewide rather than II local prob
lem. In many cases. the report
said, local officers lack the eXperi-
ence and knowledge necessary to
successfully cope with professional
criminals and the latter escape.
The main objections to the bill
last winter We're that the proposed
system would create another state
board or bureau and would cost too
much money.
Admitting that the state may al
ready have too many boards and
bureaus. the committee points out
duty to protect the lives and property
OF its citizens from depredations bv
professional criminals and that "our
present police system has failed to
adequately meet this crime stua-
tion."
Admitting that the idea Of a cen
trail state police. bureau is "some-
what new" and that only one state,
Minnesota. has made a move to put
it into effect. the committee contend
ed that present police methods are
altogether inadequate to deal with
the professional criminal problem and
the pubic will be forced, in time. to
reform and improve its police sys-
tenn