The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-07-18
Swift Justice

OW1AG y
There should be better way of stopping
banditry than war Of bullets between the
bandits and the police. The lives Of police
men, ready to do their duty, are too valuable
to be sacrificed, if some other way can be found
that will protect the public from the bandits.
These bandits have just one thing in com
mon. They may differ in every other way.
Some come from protected homes. Others
have had lessons in crime. Some drunken.
Others are sober But not one of these youths
who engage in crime ever expects to be pun
ished.
No gang or single individual ever com
mitted crime with any idea that he was to
pay the penalty
1t is because he believes he can get away
with it that he chooses what looks like an easy
way to get money.
An examination of the record shows that
the one factor which persuades these bandits
that crime is safe is the delay between arrest
and trial.
When an arrest is made for one of these
crimes, the usual procedure requires weeks
and sometimes months before the accused IS
brought to trial and many months, where an
appeal is made, before sentence is actually
carried out.
During the weeks that the accused is out on
bond or in Jail interest in his case dwindles
1t is also very easy to manufacture defense.
It is even more easy for the victim to forget
and become confused when placed on the wit
ness stand and then the lawyer provided by
friends or the gang, takes full advantage and
the chances of acquittal of the guilty grows.
The one thing that would terrify any youth
who contemplates a crime, whether acting
alone or with Others would be the knowledge
that if he was caught in Indianapolis, he
would be placed almost Immediately on trial
and punished.
Crooks give Milwaukee wide berth. 1t is
known as city where delays in criminal trials
are brief. Those accused of crime are given
quick trials If innocent they restored
quickly to their proper standing. If guilty,
they do not wait for months before paying the
price.
Judge Collins is doing what he can and
it is commendable that he is giving up part
of his vacation that the Criminal Court may
be in session.
Prosecutor .Remy is not at fault. He has
been vigorous in demanding quick trials, but
has few deputies.
But the courts are clogged and there are
many in jail and on bond who are accused Of
crimes of violence
Just as a practical method of curling the
crime way, which is serious The Times sug-
gests that few special judges, a few special
prosecutors Of experience in criminal trials,
drafted for the occasion, be placed the job
and every man now accused Of banditry Of
any sort be given the speedy trial which is a
right under the Constitution and a right also
for the State which expects protection.
There are vacant courtrooms now available,
for the civil Judges are resting
There are many men in jail awaiting trial
who should be tried and who presumably in
nocent under the law, should desire speedy
trials.
Let the word go out that in this city every
person accused Of crime goes on trial without
delay and there will be fewer widows of police
men, fewer mourning families of wild youths
fewer holdups on the highways.
Remember this one fact. No one who
commits crime expects punishment They
have that in common, these criminals. They
expect to escape punishment.
A reputation for swift justice is better
protection than the largest police force.