Evening star., 1933-10-15
PLAN CR|M|NOL0GY
UNIVERSITY HERE
Federal Officials to Have Spe-
ciaIists and System Equal
to Greatest.
BY REX COLLIER.

BY REX COLLIER
The Federal Government plans to
establish in Washington a great ma
tional university of criminolgy' where
picked officers will study advanced
methods of scientific crime detection
and where laboratory specialists will
seek now processes and devices to aid
in the war on crime.
The faculty and research staff OF
this university or institute would be a
chronological brain trust" composed
OF outstanding experts in the fields OF
fingerprinting, ballistics. moulage, mic
roscopy handwriting and typewriting
identification, chemical and violet-ray
analyses and other means of crime de-
lection.
The research laboratories would
equal, if not eclipse. those Of the police
institutes of Paris, Lyons, London, Ber-
lin. Rome and other European centers
which have pioneered in crime re-
search.
Lecture Room Facilities.
The facilities of the lecture rooms, as
we'll as the laboratories would be made
available to the law enforcement
agencies of the Nation-State and
municipal alike Officers of police de-
partments desiring special training in
specific phases of Identification .or
other detective work would be enrolled
as students
Police departments lacking research
equipment would be invited to make
use Of the scientific facilities and staff
OF the Federal institute. Thus latent
fngerprlnts or other marks found at
the scene of a crime-whether Federal
or not-could be turned over to the
FEDERAL experts for examination and
report. Bullets found in the body of
a murder victim could be sent here for
ballistics study with a view to identi-
tying the fatal gun. Evidence of many
kinds would be examined by qualified
experts in the science Of detecting crime
and trapping criminals.
Attorney General Cummings gave the
flrst intimation of his plans along this
line in an address several days ago be-
fore the National Anti-Crime Confer
ence here and disclosed that the first
steps toward establishment Of the uni
versity already have been taken by the
Department of Justice
Nucleus Recently Created.
The Division of Investigation recently
tnological laboratory in an obscure
room adjoining headquarters of its Fin
gerprlnt Bureau in the old Southern
Railway Building. There Director j.
Edgar Hoover has assembled an i'm
presSive array of scientific paraphernalia
for the study of guns. bullets, finger
prints, footprints, forgeries, stains,
handwriting, typewriting and other "evi-
dence"
The division for some time has had
an embryo crime detection university
at its field Office in the Hurley-Wright
Building. This at present is a training
school for its own special agents
Every new appointee to the investigat-
ing force must take an intensive course
at the school under the tutelage of
veteran agents Special lectures are
given by experts in various fields of
criminology. DR.. Wilmer Souder, Bu-
reau of Standards scientist, is fire.
Quent lecturer on bullet, handwriting
and typewriting identification. Legal
experts advise the students on rules of
evidence, so that they will know ex-
actly the kind of evidence that will be
effective in trial.
The divisions crime statistics unit is
undertaking crime surveys and collect
ing data that will find a place un-
OUuUltuly. III lilt lIUldIN Uil u lIllc llldI
would be an adjunct of the institution.
The work now being done in a small
way by the division in supplying to po-
lice departments articles on law en-
forcement and on modern technique in
crime investigation probably would be
taken over by the new university.
These articles at present are being
printed in a Fugitives Wanted bulletin
distributed monthly to peace officers OF
the country.
L. S. Far Behind Europe.
In announcing plans for the Grim
irology institute the ATTORNEY General
pointed out that America is far behind
Europe in the matter of crime research
and detective instruction.
I'm practically every European coun-
try he states. "a person entering upon
a career in the higher police service
must show proof of attendance at
university law school. Numerous insti-
tutions have been founded on the
continent to give police officials the
scientific training necessary to cope
successfully with the highly trained
criminal"
Mr. Cummings believes the establish
ment of such an institution in this
country will be of incalculable value
10 rcuctdl, OIdlc dIlu lOCdl III
waging a co-ordinated crusade against
the criminal elements of the Nation.
The chief difficulty in the way OF
Immediate founding Of national
chronological institute is the Govern
ments lack of surplus of ready cash.
The cost of such an enterprise would be
great
If this activity is to be properly de-
veloped.' Mr. Cummings said. IAN ex-
tensive study of ways and means might
we'll be undertaken
So convinced are Department of
Justice officials that the crime labora-
tory and university are vital to an ef-
fective. organized warfare on racket
teering and other forms of lawlessness
that they will make determined effort
to find the ways and means
The national institute of Grimm
ology already is more than a dream
officials pointed out yesterday. 1T
actually has been started and it will
grow rapidly when the people realize
its worth as protector Of society"
REV STR0HhVER REGINS