“Early Trials for Criminals Advocated,” from The Bourbon News, Paris,
Kentucky, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 1921
Cincinnati, Ohio,
Sept. 9—The history of organized government demonstrates that the speedy trial
of criminal cases and the swift and certain punishment of criminals effects a
reduction in the volume of crime, Edwin W. Sims, president of the Chicago Crime
Commission told the American Bar Association at its meeting here recently.
“On the other
hand,” Mr. Sims continued, “Increased crime follows closely on the heels of
delayed trials and deferred punishment. In short, crime increases of decreases
in the proportion that punishment is swift and certain. The speed with which a
crime is punished has a great deal more to do with the preservation of law and
order than the severity of punishment.
….
“Three years ago
the Chicago Association of Commerce appointed and financed a crime commission.
It does not of itself undertake the apprehension nor the prosecution of
criminals. The Commission limits its activities to an investigation of crimes
of violence: murder, burglary, and robbery. It early reached the conclusion
that the principal avenue of escape was the delay in the trial of criminal
cases.
‘The commission was
organized in the year 1919. Data collected for that year showed there were 100
murders to 1,000,000 of population in Chicago, as against 9 to 1,000,000 in
Great Britain and 13 to 1,000,000 in Canada. This meant that during 1919 there
were more murders in Chicago with a population of 3,000,000 than in the British
Isles with a population of 40,000,000.
“For years in Great
Britain and Canada, murder cases generally have been disposed with 60 or 90
days. In American cities there practically are no murder cases being tried
within 90 days.
“April 1, 1920, 135
persons previously indicted for murder were awaiting trial in Chicago. In 104
cases the accused were at liberty on bond. The situation was brought to the
attention of the courts and officials by the Crime Commission with the result
that four Judges, then in the civil courts, volunteered to sit in the Criminal
court and try cases until the murder docket was cleared. The trial of these
cases resulted in sentencing of 12 to hang and 12 to the penitentiary for from
one year to life.
Murder Rate Cut In
Half
“The effect on the
number of murders in Chicago was electrical. Immediately the murder rate there
dropped 51 per cent, where it has since remained. The record for the first
seven months of each of the last three years is as follows:
1919: 232
1920: 87
1921: 91
….
·
The Bourbon news. (Paris, Ky.), 13 Sept. 1921. Chronicling America: Historic
American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86069873/1921-09-13/ed-1/seq-6/>
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