The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-05-21
MORE DATA
ON CRIME
SOUGHT

CHICAGO, May 81 (IN.s.).
As a means of combating
crime, delegates today at the
final sessions of a two-day
meeting here Of the American
Crime Study Commission acted
to obtain more complete sta
tisties on general crime
throughout the United States.
They proceeded on the theory
that to reach a solution of the
problem it first must be as
certained definitely and GER
tainly what the problem is.
HolIins M. Randolph, Of Atlanta,
Ca, president of the Stone Noun.
tain Memorial Association. was the
first to suggest the necessity OF get
ting accurate statistics ON crime
conditions and many educators,
soeiologist, jurists and penologists
attending the convention Endorsed
his views.
Randolph's idea Is to have COM
plete data on crimes other than
homicides gathered by some agency
either through the Census Bureau
in Washington or through State
agencies.
Suggests Census Bureau
Judge A. C. Backus, of Milwaukee.
acting as chairman of the meeting,
said he was inclined to believe the
proper procedure would be to ask
| congress to make the necessary au-
| thorization for the Federel Census
Bureau to collect material relating
to such offenses as burglaries, rob-
berries and crimes against property.
Prof, Austin Miller. dean of the
law school OF the University OF
Southern California, cautioned the
| delegates not to overlook the point
that the legislature may be one OF
the greatest curses for the increase
in crime.
ST do not say that the legislature
| is in error in making so many new
| crimes by the enactment OF law
he assorted. land / cannot argue
| over the necessity for making laws
! to meet new conditions.
Too Many Crimes
But when the law makes a
| crime today out of something that
was not a crime yesterday. it can
not be ignored that If the averag &c
| human being reacts normally he
will be a criminal today who was
not a criminal yesterday.
I a. Sh 80.
classify our crimes and have fewer
feIonies? In California If a boy
sticks his hand through a grating
and purloins a banana that is
burglary, and hence felony Might
we not have greater respect for law
il there were not so many crimes?'
Sanford Bates. recently appointed
superintendent of Federal Prisons,
followed the technical discussion OF
penal methods and paroles with the
assertion:
I'VE must dig deeper into the
social fabric to discover the real
remedies for crime. Until we do
all of the courts in the world and
all of the prisons in the world will
be ineffective"
Particularly are the social scien'
lists interested in the control OF
| juvenile delinquency. Mr.. Hearst
sent a telegram to the commission
addressed to Judge A. C. Backus
of Milwaukee. chairman Of the
meeting. in which he said:
THE great solution, and, as far as
I can see the only sure solution
of the crime situation of which we
complain is education and oppor'
tunity very few criminals
are criminals from choice"
Banquet rendered
Sessions OF the commission opened
yesterday and the days program
ended last night with a banquet ten
dered the members by Mr.. Hearst.
Yesterdays session was opened
by Sidney S German. president Of
the Chicago Bar Association with
leading sociologists and criminologists
from all parts of the country in
attendance.
Chicago has hit the very bottom
In crime" Gorham charged.
at has been like an old-timt
gold camp. one Of these boom
camps that spranE M over night
and soon housed thousands oil
people. That's been our trouble
The city has grown % fast. the
CONTINUED on PaSs :, Column y