Evening star., 1933-02-01
Too Much Paroling
OF Law Breakers
To the Editor Of The Star:

10 the E0lt0f OF Ine 6tafs
The press, and your paper particu-
larly, can WELD helpful influence
toward stopping the existing crime wave
here II the following facts are stressed
and reiterated: That more police are
badly needed. that more care be exer-
cised In granting paroles with de-
cidedly less Of the latter than in the
past) and in that the courts demand
the very highest bail under the law
before turning criminals loose on the
public and taxpayers. Our superin-
tendent of police Is q fine official and
Is doing his very best with the limited
number Of men at his disposal and the
large territory to be covered. Each
request for larger force IS met with
the answer mo funds" Notwithstand-
ing this, strenuous efforts are being
made to have more and larger parks.
If a taxpayer is afraid to leave his
home FOR drive through the parks,
fearing some prowler will rob his house
during his absence, just why do we
need more parks and why cannot some
OF the money be spent on additional
police? The writer has had his home
robbed several times, twice In the eve
ming and once in broad daylight. In
the latter instance the thief has been
caught by the police and admitted the
burglary. It appears he was serving
10-year term for HOUSEKEEPING and
was paroled at the end Of years
Upon his release he went right back
to thieving, having admitted q num-
ber of cases.
As a citizen and taxpayer, what ]
would like TO know is just why these
people are being pardoned or paroled
TO begin again where they left of, giving
the police the Job Of catching them
again, If possible, and the courts the
trouble and expense of another trial.
Inen, too, many instances occur in
winch several sentences are meted out
OF one or more years for each case, but
with the judge permitting the sentences
10 run concurrently instead of con-
secutively. Sentences are supposed to
be deterrent to others, but if they
are to be light and prisoners paroled
a1ter snort time, what is to deter the
criminal from career of crime?
IN recent case of bank robbery here
II developed the robbers were out on
Dau following a previous robbery In
another State. II their bail had been
made SO high they could not have fur
nlshed 1t, they would have been pre-.
vented from running loose and robbing
the bank here. Another matter that
our legislators could help would be the
enactment OF proper vagrant law and
one under which a fence" who re-
ceiVes stolen goods could be convicted
AS the law stands now, a receiver OF
stolen goods goes free unless it can be
proven he or she knew the goods DUR
chased were stolen. To prove this is
practically impossible, hence the buyer
walks out of court free, when, in fact,
the receiver, or buyer, of such goods is
practically as guilty as the thief in
many instances
Now. mercy is all right when justified
but there is such thing as OVERRIDING
IT and letting mawkish sentiment run
away with those who evidence too
much sympathy for the evildoer. How
are We to deter and stop crime If we
give way to the habitual thief or other
criminal, letting them of with slight
or no punishment? What we need, and
must have II our police force is to ac-
complish its mission, is to support them,
give them the men required to police
the city properly, and when a man is
| caught and proved guilty, put him
away where you and I will roS be en-
dangered Of our lives or property. With
the depression. the criminal activities
are on the increase and something
must be done
OVERTCN c. LUXFoRD.