NOVEMBER 1967 7;J ENFORCEMENT BULLETIN FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE J. EDGAR HOOVER, DIRECTOR NOVEMBER 1967 VOL. 36, NO. 11 THE COVER­Neutron activation analysis. See article on 35th Anniver· sary 0/ FBI Laboratory, page 3. - LAW ENFORCEMENT BULLETIN CONTENTS Message From Director]' Edgar Hoover 1 A Team Against Crime­Law Enforcement and the e Laboratory . 3 Investigation of Safe Burglaries, by Lt. Col. Joseph Dussia, Deputy Commissioner, Pennsylvania State Police, Harrisbnrg, Pa . 7 Miami Police Inaugurate Video Identification, by Charles B. Schildecker, Chairman, Police Science and Criminology, Miami­Dade Junior College, Miami, Fla. 14 Search of Motor Vehicles (Part IX ) 19 Published by the ationwide Crimescope 21 FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION I nvestigators' A ids 22 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Washington, D.C. 20535 Wanted by the FBI 28 TODAY, THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS live in fear. to grow. This is true, but the volume of crime is They fear for their lives, the safety of their fam- up 62 percent since 1960 while our national ilies, their homes, and their businesses. The cause population has risen only 9 percent during that of their fear is CRIME. period. Thus, crime is outstripping population Without a doubt, crime is rapidly becoming growth by almost 7 to 1. our Nation's number one internal problem. For Weare told that revised and improved report- years, we have seen apologists, misguided so- ing methods by law enforcement agencies result ciologists, and well­meaning but misinformed in more violations being reported. This conten- public officials rationalize the spiraling crime tion carries no weight. Hundreds of departments rate and excuse criminal behavior. We have seen which have had approved uniform crime report- pathetic public ignore the warning signals of ing systems for years continue to have increases • ing criminality which is costing taxpayers an in all categories year after year with no change estimated $27 billion annually. We have seen a whatsoever in their reporting methods. These in- criminal "feedback", caused by judicial lenien- creases are attributable to only one thing­a rise cies, including pardons, paroles, and probation, in the volume of crime. Further, agencies which which is a disgrace to our system of criminal do update their reporting systems are not in- justice. And we have seen loopholes, technicali- cluded in the national trend totals until they have ~ ties, and delays release hundreds of hardened, established two comparable records under their unrepentant criminals on the streets to prey revised setup. This is done to avoid any marked again on the public while awaiting trial on easily increase or decrease which may result from a provable charges. change in reporting procedures. Nearly 31,4 million crimes were reported in And we are told that much of the rise in crime ~ 1966, an 11 percent increase over 1965. Figures is caused by the extensive population growth of for the first 6 months of 1967 show a 17 percent the crime­prone young age group. Here again we ,. increase above the 1966 totals for the same pe- see shallow reasoning. The young­age­group riod. Is it any wonder that more and more people population, 10 to 17 years, rose 19 percent dur- are living in fear of crime? ing the 7­year period of 1960 tbrough 1966. Ar- rests of persons in this group for serious crimes Let us examine some of the popular arguments increased 54 percent during the same time. ~ by those who attempt to explain away our in- ~ tolerable crime problem. First, we are told that No right­thinking person could oppose long- crime increases because our population continues range programs to alleviate and eradicate con- MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR ditions which breed crime. But the man, woman, his community, then justice is not served. Rather, and child on the street today are more concerned the criminal is being favored at the expense of with their immediate safety. And rightly so, since the law-abiding citizen. the risk of their becoming victims of serious Crime can no longer be shrouded by appease• crime has risen 48 percent since 1960. ment and rationalization. Its magnitude is fright• The young child who is criminally assaulted, ening. Crime must be reduced by eliminating the the corner grocer who is repeatedly robbed, the huge profits and the soft justice which attract elderly lady at the bus stop who is mugged and criminal-minded individuals. A valanches of brutally beaten, and the thousands of others who crime and terrorism cannot be tolerated in a are victimized each day by vicious thugs want society of free men. Either we win the war against instant as well as permanent relief. They, too, crime or the priceless heritage which we cherish have rights. But their cries for help are fre• will be destroyed. quently drowned out by the clamor for mercy and leniency for guilty lawbreakers who scoff at law Full justice is needed-stern justice. We need and order and the rights of society. justice which keeps the balance true and affords the law-abiding public an even break. We need Justice must extend beyond the courtroom justice which deals swiftly and surely with the back to the site where the victim's rights are criminal, convincing justice which means a qui • . violated. When the individual is no longer rea• arrest, prompt prosecution, and substantial pu. sonably secure in his home and on the streets of ishment of the guilty lawbreaker. NOVEMBER 1, 1967 HOOVER, Director 35th -4nni(ler~ar'l-FBI LABORATORY A Team Against Crime -Law Enforcement and the Laboratory Neutron activation analysis represents a significant advance in scientific crime detection and, in some cases, can be a most valuable aid to law enforcement officers seeking the missing link in an intricate investigation. The FBI Laboratory cele- brates its 35th Anniversary on November 24,1967_ In its brief but significant " history, the Laboratory has steadily kept pace with the rapid progress of lawen- forcement. The article be- ginning on the next page gives a brief account of some of the achievements of the Laboratory during the past 35 years. Labo~ato~y in Washington, D.C., e exammatIOn. At Mabel's trial a Special Agent of the Laboratory testified that he ob• tained skeletal material as well as tis• sue from the submitted debris, and a member of the Division of Physical Anthropology, Smithsonian Institu• tion, testified that the skeletal material was of human origin. Through further comparison with X-rays taken of the victim before his death, the Smithso• nian expert concluded that the skeletal remains were probably those of the victim. On that same date, an Agent from the FBI Laboratory testified that chemical tests for arsenic on the skeletal material and tissue were in• conclusive because of contamination by interfering substances, but that neutron activation analysis success· fully proved its presence. Neutron Activation In neutron activation analysie sample of unknown material is ir• radiated with neutrons (nuclear par• ticles). Some of the irradiated atoms in the unknown material are thereby made radioactive and begin to disin· A Laboratory expert determines the hardness of small pieces of metal with the microhardness tester. tegrate (radioactively) with the emis· sion of gamma rays. The energy of these gamma rays is measured with a gamma ray spectrometer. These en• SlOWly but indeed surely, Mabel! Mabel then dragged the body to a ergy values are then used to identify was murdering her husband-a bit of nearby foundation site of a razed the element in the original material. arsenic in his coffee twice a week was building, covered it with broken fur· Quantitative measurements of the accomplishing her purpose. The un• niture, lumber, and roofing material, elements present can be made by fortunate husband soon became so and burned it. In the next few days comparing the radioactivity of the weak he was unable to work; and doc• she burned the body repeatedly. She elements in the evidentiary material tors, without the slightest suspicion of even crushed the bones and flesh that with the radioactivity of known his true condition, were unable to halt remained, added coal to the fire, and amounts of these elements. his phy ical deterioration. After a few burned them again until she could find Mabel was subsequently sentenced months, Mabel, a mother of nine, grew no trace of the body. to life imprisonment on the charge of weary of her cold, deliberate scheme. Three months later in an interview first degree murder. One day she shoved her weakened with police officers, Mabel signed a ot 0 many years ago, Mabel husband backwards onto a bed and voluntary statement confessing the might have escaped punishment for choked him to death with a small murder of her spou e. her act of inhumanity. Even after length of rope. hortly thereafter, dirt and debris igning a confession, had there been frol11 the site where the body had been no physical proof of foul play, • 1 Fictitious. burned were delivered to the FBI might have gone free. However, 4 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin ' of the world today face more techniques and equipment. In April Avenue, where FBI Headquarters is the investigative ingenuity of a 1931 a Special Agent of the FBI en• located. On August 11, 1943, the skilled law enforcement officer, for rolled in a course offered by the scien• name was officially changed to the FBI many are the times when their avenue tific crime detection laboratory of a Laboratory. of escape is completely sealed off by large midwestern university. ow that Mr. Hoover's idea had the findings of a modern crime detec• A few months later the purchase of become a reality, his efforts were di• tion laboratory.