The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-02-27
THE SUSPENDED SENTENCE

Public sentiment among good citizens III
North Carolina is crystaGzlng around the
conviction that the suspended court SEN
tence is one of the greatest known hln-
= ORANGES to law enforcement and is IN
large measure responsible for the rising
tide of lawlessness in the State.
"a The Times-News knows this to be true
in Henderson county. Speak to any law
= observing citizen about lawlessness in this
county, failure to enforce the laws, the
failure of the courts to effectively Junction.
and he will in nine cases out of ten voice
Hathe opinion that the growing practice ot
imposing suspended sentences is largely
irresponsible for conditions. Some of the
,Jeriticism hurled at the courts by good citi-
"-zens is so emphatic it would hardly be per-
missible to quote it in a newspaper. 1t IS
4 the best possible evidence of the cOnclu-
: sions reached by observant citizens in their
] study of crime and the operation of the
/ courts, in this county and throughout the
, State
How long will it take to arouse the men
, who sit on the benches in our courts to a
! sane understanding of the grave danger
1 that is involved in this practice? The dan
: ger to the peace and security, the lives and
! the property, of all good citizens, that is
Involved in this practice? Law-abiding
'. citizens can only look to their courts, and
their fellow citizens who preside over
them, for that protection which is guaran-
teed by the Constitution and the statutes.
When the courts break down, where and
to whom shall good citizens go for pro-
lection?
The Times-News emphatically believes
that one of the dominating weaknesses of
present day administration of justice in
North Carolina is the suspended court sem
tence. There are other and very serious
defects in the system, but none that is more
certainly making the courts impOtent and
ineffective and contributing to vast in
crease in. lawlessness.
Much OF the criticism of this practice
that is heard throughout the State comes
from the arresting officers--sheriffs, consta-
bles and police officers. In direct contact
With the problems of law enforcement,
these men quickly see the effects of any
course which diminishes the power and eff
fectivenesS of the administration of the
courts. Hundreds of arresting officers in
North Carolina believe that the suspended
sentence is one of the chief of the court
practices that make the enforcement of the
laws so difficult. Officers are frequently
sorely discouraged by court action in fail
ure to punish the guilty, after the officers
have given time and labor to investigation,
the securing of evidence, and the building
uR or cases against criminals
This condition causes friction among the
s3yo classes of law enforcement officers
and brings lack of cooperation and effort,
which further confuses and weakens the
processes of justice
Some time ago there was held here a
tarm of Superior Court in which the pre-
siding Judge was SO lenient, and so gener-
-UtIs in issuing suspended sentences that
SHE matter became a subject of public
comment and criticism. A law enforcement
officer of Henderson county is The Times
yMews' informant, and states that the pa
roles of every one of the persons extended
rclsmency at that term of court have beer
yXiolated. As far as we know only in one
case is; an effort being made to enforce