Hermann Mannheim - Social Aspects of Crime in England between the Wars

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THE writing and publication of this book have been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Bequest Committee of the University of London. To all its members, and in particular to the former chairman, Col. S. J. Worsley, D.S.O., M.C., Academic Registrar and at that time acting Principal of the University of London, to the present chairman, Professor A. M. Carr-Saunders, Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science, to Sir William H. Beveridge, K.C.B., Master of University College, Oxford, and to Professor Harold J. Laski the most sincere thanks of the author are due. The publication has further been aided by- a grant from the Publication Fund of the University of London for which the author is very grateful.

A considerable part of the material upon which this book is based could have been neither collected nor published without the facilities generously extended to the author by various departments of the Home Office, especially the Prison Commission for England and Wales and the Statistical Branch. The same applies to the former Chief Magistrate of the Metropolitan Police Courts and other Metropolitan Magistrates as well as to the Borstal Association and Aylesbury Association. To all these authorities, and in particular to Sir Alexander Maxwell, K.C.B., Permanent Under Secretary of State, Home Office, to Mr. Harold Scott, C.B., Chairman of the Prison Commission, to Mr. Alexander Paterson, M.C., Prison Commissioner, and to Mr. T. Paterson Owens, J.P., Chief Inspector, Childrens Branch, Home Office, the author wishes to express his gratitude.

The author held the Leon Fellowship for the session 193637; for the subsequent session a special grant was made for the continuation and, if possible, conclusion of the work. Finally, a substantial amount was provided by the Committee towards the cost of publication.

When engaged in the preparation of the book the author had to make himself familiar not only with the crime situation and the penal system of this country, but also with its whole social structure and the administration of the social services. To achieve this aim if only in a very modest wayit became necessary to make numerous contacts with workers of every description in these fields. Whilst it is impossible to mention all of them by name, the author would like to place on record his appreciation of their unfailing kindness. Magistrates and clerks of various Courts, Prison and Borstal Governors and officials, probation officers, headmasters of Approved Schools and elementary schools, Police officers and officials of the London County Council, club leaders and wardens of settlements, secretaries of various associations, managers and detectives of departmental stores, and many others have freely given of their time to make the author acquainted with the details of their daily work and have granted him liberal access to their material. This is equally true of the Directors of the Institute for the Scientific Treatment of Delinquency, especially of the Chairman of the Council, Dr. E. T. Jensen, and of the General Secretary, Miss I. M. James.

It is difficult for the author to express adequately his indebtedness for the assistance received from many of his colleagues and students at the London School of Economics and Political Science. It seems impossible, however, to pass in silence the persistent help and encouragement extended to him by the Director of the School and by Professors Laski, Chorley, and Ginsberg, as well as by Mr. C. M. Lloyd. Cordial acknowledgments are also, due to the Howard League for Penal Reform, and in particular to Miss Margery Fry, J.P., LL.D., to the Hon. Secretary, Miss Cicely M. Craven, J.P., M.A., and to the Assistant Secretary, Miss I. H. Reekie; moreover, to Mr. A. Lieck, J.P., Professor A. Plant, Professor H. Lauterpacht, Sir John Cumming, K.C.I.E., and to the late Professor Sir Maurice Sheldon Amos.

The splendid opportunities for research offered by the Library of the British Museum, the Howard Library, and the British Library of Political and Economic Science have been of invaluable help; to their librarians and staffs the author owes, a great debt of gratitude.

Mr. Arthur Carr has been kind enough to undertake the tire some task of reading the manuscript and to suggest numerous improvements in style. His patience and understanding have been of the greatest value to the author.

The Controller of H.M. Stationery Office has given permission to quote from numerous Command Papers, and the managers of The Times, the Evening Standard and the New Statesman and Nation have done the same with respect to extracts from Court Reports and other material. Mr. A. Royds, now Education Officer at Rochdale, has consented to the inclusion of some extracts from his unpublished Report on Juvenile Delinquency at Oldham. In addition, permission to quote has been obtained from the following publishers: The Cambridge University Press, The Oxford University Press, P. S. King & Son, Ltd., Longmans, Green & Co., Ltd., Methuen & Co., Ltd., Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd., Faber & Faber, Ltd., J. M. Dent & Sons, Ltd., Victor Gollancz, Ltd., Putnam & Co., Ltd., Constable & Co., Ltd. To all these firms as well as to the authors concerned cordial acknowledgments must be given.