The Washington times., 1931-08-21
j. 5. IS URGED
TO PONDER
j. PROBLEM
investigators Tabulate Costs
Up to Billion and Quarter,
But Hardly Touch Surface
CONTINUED From, Page y

(Continusd From, Page y
maintaining State police forces
were devoting 25.5 per cent of
their appropriations for those
forces to dry-law enforcement.
Fhese totaled $2,66O, 900.
Because of inadequate funds
the commission found it impos-
sible to determine how much
money is diverted from useful
channels by racketeering and or
ganized extortion, but reported to
the President that the loss was
most serious.
It was recommended that some
other agency be empowered to
make a nationwide, thorough
and scientific investigation OF the
evil. In its present highly organ
lied state the racket "is pervad-
ing q substantial part Of our ma
tional economic life," Mr.. Hoover
$ was advised.
The report condemned use Of
racketeering methods in labor dis
putes, asserting further that "the
alliance between racketeering and
the activities Of certain labor
unions is reputed to be. Close"
Crime Costs Tabulated
In addition to the more than
$3.50, ,000,0O spent annually for
criminal justice, some of the other
costs actually arrived at included
B51 ,720, 900 for State penal insti-
buttons, $1O,465, ,265 for protection
of private property in cities, Sat-
100000 for insured losses, $68,
.S42 for frauds perpetrated through
the mails, $106,222,756 for insur
Ance premiums against types of
crime other than arson, $159, 9,0OO.-
900 for private watchmen, $6,458,-
&58 for detecting devices, $780,
900 for armored cars, $1,260, 900
Ror the Pennsylvania industrial
police, and $850,00O for correc-
tional treatment.
The detailed report, drafted by
.AdS4AD1AW0AVC Al DO4x ekAAA SAAkACy
p. Simpson of the New York
bar, reached certain conclusions
and recommendations which the
commission adopted for it's own.
These included:
That the enormous sum ex-
pended for criminal Justice
emphasizes the importance Of in,
creasing police efficiency;
Investigation Urged
That the relatively large
amounts spent for support Of
penal institutions, as against the
relatively small sums spent for
probation, call for investigation
from the standpoint Of economy
i'm administrations;
That the relatively small part
of the total cost Of criminal law
enforcement represented by ex-
penditures for prosecution raises
the thought that possibly mot
enough j. being spent on prose
cutting agencies;
That a substantial part of the
public funds appropriated for
criminal justice purposes is not
wisely and economically ex-
pended, due to inefficient Organi-
1ation and administration, and in
some instances to political in
fluence and corruption;
Larger Funds Urged
That it may be desirable in
many instances to increase such
expenditures i'm order to. obtain
the desired efficiency and in
order to deal adequately with
new types Of crime and crimi-
mails.
While prohibition was not men
tioned by name, the commission
investigators made the significant
suggestion that one possible way
OF reducing costs of criminal JUS
tice would be ''by limiting the ex-
tent to which social control by
means of the criminal law is at
tempted" They said:
sTt is clear, we think, that the
cost of enforcing the criminal
law would be less If it did not at
tempt to forbid and punish acts
participated in by large num-
bers Of otherwise law-abiding
citizens who do not regard such
prohibited acts as criminal eX-'
cept i'm a technical sense. How
ever, the deSirability of thus re-
ducing the burden imposed On
the taxpaying public by expendi-
lures for criminal justice will
undoubtedly be determined in
the light Of views as to social
considerations with which we,
are not concerned in this re-
port"
Other Recommendations
Other recommendations were
that existing financial statistics
be improved through revision and
amplification of the records of
the Department of Justice and
creation of an adequate and uni
form system of State. county, and
municipal accounting for criminal
Justice costs. That a scientific
study Of commercialized fraud in
all its aspects be made; that
measures be taken to reduce the
economic burden now imposed on
jurors and witnesses in criminal
cases, and that the comparative