LENIENCY OF LAW

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 24, 29 January 1932, Page 7

LENIENCY OF LAW

JUDGE'S OBSERVATIONS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 3rd December. According to Mr., Justice -McCardie,' crime in England to-day it much greater than at any tinie during tho last' sixtyyears. ■> Ho made this statement -when, charging the Grand Jury at Leeds. Later in the course of several trials, he expressed doubt whether punishments were sevdre' enough. Two of hia remarks were: "Soutimentalism appear* to be rife throughout the country. Such scntimentalism or emotionalism is doing far more injury than good, and ia distinctlyencouraging criminals to continue in. their- evil courses. , "Tho law seems to be becoming more and, more lenient. I am, seriously in. doubt whether that leniency has not boon excessive." In his charge to tho Grand Jury, Mr. Justice McCardie said he had come to the conclusion that drink. ,and poverty had very little to do with serious crime to-day. The main cause was fundamental, and was to bo found in greed, lust, vanity, and anger. ' ' , Tho number of persons convicted had grown lesa, but' tho number of Crimea committed steadily grew morefrom year to year. Indeed, indictable offences throughout the country were increasing by thousands every year. Criminals today, whether pcisistent criminals or ordinary ones, were much more ingenious and astuto than those of a generation ago, while tho police were increasingly occupied by minor offences with respect to motor-ears, bylaws, and the like. In passing a. sentenco of i ourteen months' hard labour on a postman for tho theft of thiee letters containing money, Mr. Justico McCardie said that tho prisoner had asked him to consider his' wife and children. "If Judges," ho said, ''were to pay regard to all such appeals no offenders would be punished. I havo to vindicate tho law. Not long ago the penalty for all such Post Office crimes was penal servitncle." In another case he observed that sjiopbreaking was becoming almost an epidemic. The day was fast approaching when Judges would havo to deal very severely with mioh criminals, and if that came about'it would destroy any mercy tho Judge might hold. Another aspect that was often overlooked -nas the object of punishment. It is not only meant to act as a deterrent to the criminal, himself,,'or to umfcp towards his reformation. Tho object of punishment has a wider aim. It is' to act iis ■ a deterrent to others and to stop that form of criino."