Wickersham Commission
The Wickersham Commission, formally known as the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement, was established in the United States from 1929 to 1931 under the chairmanship of George Wickersham. It aimed to conduct an objective and scientific evaluation of the justice system amid growing public concern and distrust, particularly during the Prohibition era. The commission's investigations focused on various aspects of law enforcement, including police practices, court operations, and correctional systems, resulting in a comprehensive series of thirteen reports.
Among its significant findings, the Wickersham Commission highlighted widespread official corruption and the controversial use of torture or "third degree" methods in police interrogations. These revelations prompted substantial public discourse and influenced subsequent Supreme Court rulings aimed at protecting the rights of individuals in custody. Additionally, the commission addressed critical issues such as insufficient recruitment and training standards for law enforcement, as well as political interference within police departments, thus fostering a movement toward the professionalization of policing.
The commission also advocated for reforms in the criminal justice system, endorsing probation, parole, and rehabilitation initiatives while promoting the development of a national system for crime statistical data collection. Its insights into the causes of crime laid the groundwork for sociological approaches to understanding crime and juvenile delinquency. Overall, the Wickersham Commission's work is recognized as a pivotal moment in the evolution of the American criminal justice landscape, with lasting impacts on public policy that resonate into the present day.
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Wickersham Commission
Identification: Commission appointed by President Herbert Hoover to examine the enforcement of laws throughout the United States
Date: Created in 1929; issued final report in June, 1931
Significance: The first federal study of the administration of justice, the Wickersham Commission placed crime on the national public policy agenda.
Formally known as the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement, the government commission chaired by George Wickersham from 1929 to 1931 was created to conduct an objective, scientific study of the administration of justice because of public concern and distrust of the justice system that arose during the Prohibition era. The commission examined the police, courts, and corrections, and published its findings in a series of thirteen official reports.
The commission’s findings of widespread official corruption and lawlessness, including a special condemnation directed at police for the use of the “third degree” or torture in interrogations, ignited intense public discussions and led to a series of Supreme Court decisions protecting the rights of those in custody. Identification of other critical problems—such as inadequate recruitment standards and inadequate training in law enforcement, inept and corrupt management, and invasive political influence—spawned the movement for professionalization of police.
The Wickersham Commission advocated a systems approach to criminal justice; endorsed probation, parole, and rehabilitation programs for offenders; and endorsed the development of a national system for collecting statistical data on crime. The commission’s Report on the Causes of Crime held the seeds for sociological approaches to the study of crime and juvenile delinquency. Its analysis of the effects of inadequate enforcement of Prohibition and its encouragement of organized crime became the foundation for modern discourses on drug policies.
The commission’s work is one of the most important events in the history of the American criminal justice system. The long-term effects of its recommendations continue to shape public policy and criminal justice procedures in the twenty-first century.
Bibliography
Calder, James D. The Origins and Development of Federal Crime Control Policy. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 1993.
Friedman, L. M. Crime and Punishment in American History. New York: Basic Books, 1993.
Walker, Samuel. Popular Justice: A History of American Criminal Justice. 2d ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.