Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-15
Changes in Judicial System
Believed to Be National Need

been 50 considered by the Wickershan
Commission, but the complies failure
made by that body has for the time
being taken the heart out Of any moves
ment Of the sort. AS he has done IN
not few cases, President Hoover ef-
iectively buried the whole subject Of
law enforcement by the appointment
OF commission"
The demand Of the commission for
more accurate crime statistics Il gen.
crazy ENDORSED. The Fort Wayne News
sentinel oners the suggestion in har..
mony with that demand: THE com.
mission is in unanimous agreement
that nationally we have no dependable
system Of gathering information on the
criminal and his acts. Present records
are 'unsystematic, often inaccurate and
more often Incomplete There Is ex-
cellent opportunity for playing favor
ties and general political naneuverinR
in the Department Of Justice set-up.
Inere Is no central agency at WASH
mate crime statistics. A man Who
could do for the Department of Justice
what Herbert Hoover did for the De.
partment Of Commerce would be moth.
ing less than an immortal hero. Uni-
1ormity and completeness of crime sta.
ttsticS are vital If we are to learn the
causes and the probable cures of an ap-
pall1ng crime situation. The reconl-
mendattons OF the commission for as.
Sembllng OF Nationwide crime statistics
by the Census Bureau should be fol.
lowed In the near future"
1t Is believed by the San Bernardino
sun that some Of the public inability
TO cope with this problem through Of
nclaS and courts arises from the yerv
lack Of understanding and authorize.
tive information" The Memphis Com.
mercial Appeal feels that accurate and
complete information about any problem
sought to be solved must be the 1irst
Step In proposing any solution" The
new york Sun, considering the recon-
mendAtion for the Census Bureau Ia
prepare needed information, holds
that 1t should at least be able to s,Ip-
ply statistical information of value in
respect CT few things in place of un-
dependable tabulations that clutter I'm
SO many books and essays discussing
crime and criminals"
The commission hopes" as OBJ
served by the st. Louis Post Dispatch.
10 see bureaus Of criminal statistics
created in each State for the COLLEGE
ton OF Statewide data, which can be
used by the States in meeting their own
problems OF law enforcement and, at
the same time, transmitted to Wash
lngton for inclusion in an annual re.
port which viii give complete and ac-
curate Information on crime criminals
police, prosecutions, courts and prisons.
Such report would afford the country
full and continuous knowledge con-
corning the enforcement Of the GRIM
lnal law. Fortunately. the adoption of
this policy is not dependent upon con-
greSSional action. Under the authority
OF legislation passed at the last session.
the Bureau of the Census can gradually
extend the scope Of its statistical work
until II GENES to cover the entire field.
A complete national system of GRIM
inal statistics. TO be sure, is not to be
achieved in a day. But, at least, the
policy enunciated by the Law Enforce.
ment Commission and the authority
given TO the Census Bureau by Con-
gress have now brought US appreciably
nearer TO the attainment Of this OBJ
jective."