Evening star., 1934-05-24
Parole as an Aid to Crime.

criminal and his woman associate
were killed by posse of law officers
They had been lured into a trap and
were slain before they could get theil
weapons into action. None Of the
officers was harmed. This was good
news to the country, suffering from
the depredations Of bandits costing
immense sums Of money and many
lives.
The man who was killed had long
criminal record, though he was only
twenty-three years old. Part Of 1t
follows: Arrested March 2, 1880, for
burglary, convicted. sentenced to four
teen years imprisonment in Texas;
escaped from county Jail March II,
1890: arrested as fugitive in Ohio
March 18: returned to Texas April 81
1880; paroled February 2, 1882. Since
then he has committed numerous
crimes.
This is typical case of many. Ac-
cording to the latest issue Of the
Uniform Crime Reports" issued by
the Division of Investigation Of the
Department of Justice, of the 22,79S
records showing previous convictions
of individuals included in an enumer-
alton of persons arrested and finger
printed, 1924 indicated that they had
at some time in their previous GRIM
inal history, been released on parole
or given some similar type Of treat
ment, 5,202 having been arrested
within the parole period.
The other day, in this city. ]. Edgar
Hoover, director of the Division Of In
vestigation Of the Department OF
Justice, addressing the annual meet
ing of the Protective Section of the
American Railway Association in this
city, said:
have referred before to the abuses
Of the parole and pardon power. These,
in my opinion, are so widespread as
to constitute a national menace and
scandal. 1t Is a matter of tragic in
terest to us in many cases. In a
major crime still under intensive in
vestigation by the Division Of Inves-
tigation every one Of the known and
suspected criminals are at liberty be-
cause of the receipt of pardon and
parole clemencies. When confirmed
bloodthirsty criminals are set at lib
erty to prey upon society, to kill not
only the sworn protectors of COM
munities, but to murder and kidnap
respectable citizens in various parts
Of the country, 1t would seem to be
time that some thought be given to
the fragrant abuse of the pardon and
parole power.
This touches upon the most impor-
tant aspect of the crime problem now
engaging the attention Of the Ma
tional Government. Crime is no
longer a matter Of State jurisdic-
ton. Recently several bills were
submitted to Congress by the Attorney
General designed to strengthen the
arm of the Government in its war
fare against crime. Definitions OF
Jurisdiction were proposed to enlarge
the scope Of the Federal authority
In so far as these extensions can bring
under Federal Jurisdiction crimes now
held to be strictly of local nature,
with authority of trial, custody and
clemency vested in the States, the
parole evil will, assuming the enact
ment of these measures into law. be
greatly lessened. But there will re-
main the danger of the exercise OF
the pardon and parole power in the
States in cases of strictly local Of
fenses.
The theory Of constructive treat
ment of the wrongdoer through the
grant of pardon and parole, to give
him a chance to redeem his life, has
been carried to the point Of becom-
ing, as the records amply show. the
surest way to encourage and continue
the commission of crimes. The abuse
of the power of clemency, often exer-
cised for selfish political reasons, has
terribly added to the cost Of crime
in life and treasure. 1t would seem
to have been sufficiently demonstrated
by the records such as Mr.. Hoover
cites that the time has come to aban-
don altogether the practice Of giving
the confirmed criminal his freedom,
which he almost invariably abuses to
continue his career of lawlessness on
a rising scale of demoniac destructive
ness.