Wickersham Commission
Encyclopedia
U.S. President Herbert Hoover
established the Wickersham Commission, officially called the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement, on May 20th, 1929. Former Attorney General George W. Wickersham
(1858–1936) headed the 11-member group charged with identifying the causes of criminal activity and to make recommendations for appropriate public policy.
During the 1928 presidential campaign Herbert Hoover
supported the eighteenth amendment
, but recognized that evasion was widespread and that prohibition had fueled the growth of organized crime
.
to study and recommend changes to the eighteenth amendment, and to observe police practices in the states. They observed police interrogation tactics and reported that "the inflicting of pain, physical or mental, to extract confessions or statements... is widespread throughout the country." They released a second report in 1931 that supported prohibition, but found contempt among average Americans and unworkable enforcement across the states, corruption in police ranks, local politics and problems in every community that attempted to enforce prohibition laws.
August Vollmer
was the primary author of the Commission's final report, commonly known as the Wickersham Report, which was released on January 7, 1931. It documented the widespread evasion of prohibition and its negative effects on American society and recommended much more aggressive and extensive law enforcement to enforce compliance with anti-alcohol laws.
The report castigated the police for their "general failure... to detect and arrest criminals guilty of the many murders, spectacular bank, payroll and other holdups and sensational robberies with guns."
, summarized his opinion of the Commission's report with this poem:
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
established the Wickersham Commission, officially called the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement, on May 20th, 1929. Former Attorney General George W. Wickersham
George W. Wickersham
George Woodward Wickersham was an American lawyer and Presidential Cabinet Secretary.-Biography:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania...
(1858–1936) headed the 11-member group charged with identifying the causes of criminal activity and to make recommendations for appropriate public policy.
During the 1928 presidential campaign Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
supported the eighteenth amendment
Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Eighteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution established Prohibition in the United States. The separate Volstead Act set down methods of enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment, and defined which "intoxicating liquors" were prohibited, and which were excluded from prohibition...
, but recognized that evasion was widespread and that prohibition had fueled the growth of organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
.
Findings
The Commission focused its investigations almost entirely on the widespread violations of national alcohol prohibitionProhibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
to study and recommend changes to the eighteenth amendment, and to observe police practices in the states. They observed police interrogation tactics and reported that "the inflicting of pain, physical or mental, to extract confessions or statements... is widespread throughout the country." They released a second report in 1931 that supported prohibition, but found contempt among average Americans and unworkable enforcement across the states, corruption in police ranks, local politics and problems in every community that attempted to enforce prohibition laws.
August Vollmer
August Vollmer
August "Gus" Vollmer was a leading figure in the development of the field of criminal justice in the United States in the early 20th century. He was also the first police chief of Berkeley, California.-Youth:...
was the primary author of the Commission's final report, commonly known as the Wickersham Report, which was released on January 7, 1931. It documented the widespread evasion of prohibition and its negative effects on American society and recommended much more aggressive and extensive law enforcement to enforce compliance with anti-alcohol laws.
The report castigated the police for their "general failure... to detect and arrest criminals guilty of the many murders, spectacular bank, payroll and other holdups and sensational robberies with guns."
Criticism
Franklin P. Adams, a columnist for the New York WorldNew York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
, summarized his opinion of the Commission's report with this poem:
Prohibition is an awful flop.
We like it.
It can't stop what it's meant to stop.
We like it.
It's left a trail of graft and slime,
It don't prohibit worth a dime,
It's filled our land with vice and crime.
Nevertheless, we're for it.
Sources
- John Vernon, "The Wickersham Commission and William Monroe Trotter" in Negro History Bulletin, 1999 (January–March)
- Marc L. Miller and Ronald F. Wright, Criminal Procedures, Cases, Statutes, and Executive Materials]], Second Ed. 2003
- Schaffer Drug Library: "Report on the Enforcement of the Prohibition Laws of the United States: National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement"
- Records of the Wickersham Commission