Of the criminalist’s tasks, the most important are those involving his
dealings with the other men who determine his work, with witnesses,
accused, jurymen, colleagues, etc. These are the most pregnant of
consequences. In every case his success depends on his skill, his tact,
his knowledge of human nature, his patience, and his propriety of
manner. Anybody who takes the trouble, may note speedily the great
differences in efficiency between those who do and those who do not
possess such qualities. That they are important to witnesses and accused
is undoubted. But this importance is manifest to still others. The
intercourse between various examining judges and experts is a matter of
daily observation. One judge puts the question according to law and
expects to be respected. He does not make explicit how perfectly
indifferent the whole affair is to him, but experts have sufficient
opportunity to take note of that fact. The other narrates the case,
explains to the experts its various particular possibilities, finds out
whether and what further elucidation they demand, perhaps inquires into
the intended manner and method of the expert solution of the problem,
informs himself of the case by their means, and manifests especial
interest in the difficult and far too much neglected work of the
experts. It may be said that the latter will do their work in the one
case as in the other, with the same result. This would be true if,
unfortunately, experts were not also endowed with the same imperfections
as other mortals, and are thus far also infected by interest or
indifference. Just imagine that besides the examining magistrate of a
great superior court, every justice and, in addition, all the chiefs and
officials manifested equal indifference! Then even the most devoted
experts would grow cool and do only what they absolutely had to. But if
all the members of the same court are actuated by the same keen interest
and comport themselves as described, how different the affair becomes!
It would be impossible that even the indifferent, and perhaps least
industrious experts, should not be carried out of themselves by the
general interest, should not finally realize the importance of their
position, and do their utmost.
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