A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis: Containing a Detail of the Various Crimes and Misdemeanors by which Public and Private Property and Security are, at Present, Injured and Endangered: and Suggesting Remedies for their PreventionColquhoun, Patrick
History
A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis: Containing a Detail of the Various Crimes and Misdemeanors by which Public and Private Property and Security are, at Present, Injured and Endangered: and Suggesting Remedies for their Prevention
Colquhoun, Patrick
Crime -- England -- London; Police -- England -- London
In these instances, (while he commits _pro tempore_,) he is called
upon in a particular manner to exert the whole powers of his mind, by
adopting such judicious measures as shall be the means of detecting
the offenders; by discovering the goods or property stolen, or by
admitting such evidence for the Crown as may, with other corroborating
testimony, prevent the ends of justice from being defeated.
Where a Magistrate proceeds with indefatigable zeal and attention, and
at the same time exercises good judgment, he will seldom fail of
success; for in this case a similar spirit will animate the officers
under his controul, whose activity and industry are generally in
proportion to that manifested by their superiors.
Much as every active Magistrate must regret that deficiency of
pecuniary resource, which, under the present system, prevents him from
rewarding those who must occasionally be employed to detect notorious
offenders, this circumstance ought not to abate this zeal in any
respect; since by perseverance it generally happens, that every good
and proper arrangement for the immediate advantage of the Public, may
be ultimately obtained.
The Magistrate having done his duty by committing an offender for
trial, satisfied of his guilt and the sufficiency of the evidence to
convict him: and having also bound over the prosecutor and the
witnesses as the Law directs, to attend the Grand Jury, and (if a bill
be found) to prosecute and give evidence upon the indictment; it might
appear to the common observer, that the culprit's case becomes
hopeless and forlorn.
This, however, is by no means a stage in the progress that intimidates
a professed thief; he feels and knows that, although guilty of the
crime laid to his charge, he has many chances of escaping; and these
chances unquestionably operate as encouragements to the commission of
crimes.
His first hope is, that he shall intimidate the Prosecutor and
Witnesses, by the threatenings of the gang with whom he is
connected;--his next that he may compound the matter; or bribe or
frighten material witnesses, so as to keep back evidence; or induce
them to speak doubtfully at the trial, though positive evidence was
given before the Magistrate; or if all should fail, recourse is had to
perjury, by bringing the Receiver, or some other associate, to swear
an _alibi_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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