Recent Book: Crime in the East: Principles of Criminology, Criminal Law and Investigation
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6804101012 |
| Date | 01 October 1968 |
| Published date | 01 October 1968 |
| Subject Matter | Recent Book |
CRIME IN
THE
EAST
R. DEB: Principles
of
Criminology, Criminal Law and Investigation. Vol. I.
S. C. Sarkar and Sons Private Ltd., Calcutta, 12. 32s.
This is the first volume of a revised
and enlarged second edition of a
book
first published in one volume in 1958.
This volume deals mainly with the
principles of Criminology, Criminal
Law and Investigation. The second
volume (not yet published) will deal
mainly with
the
investigation and
prosecution of specific offences.
I did
not
have the pleasure of reading
the first edition, and
that
has been my
loss for 10 years.
The
author
is a triple first-class law
graduate of the University of Calcutta.
He entered the Police Service in 1940,
and after varied experience in the field
he was posted as a departmental head
at the National Police Academy of
India. He has an international repu-
tation as a contributor to professional
journals in many parts of the world.
The work under review is to a great
extent based on notes made in con-
nexion with his instructional duties at
the Indian Police Academy.
Deb's work is characterized by
meticulous thoroughness in research
and by meticulous neatness
and
clear-
ness in presentation.
The
authorities
he quotes
add
up to one of the most
comprehensive bibliographies of his
subjects which I have ever seen,
and
the
book
is worth acquiring for this
alone.
The
present volume covers such
subjects as Criminology (Elements of
Scientific Aids to the Detection of
Crime); the use of Lie-Detector;
Modus Operandi; Interrogation of
Witnesses; Interrogation of Suspects;
Employment of Informants; Inter-
State Crimes
and
Criminals; Appre-
ciation of Evidence in Investigation
and Prosecution of Offences, and
Investigation and Prosecution of
Corruption Cases.
Ifound the
book
most easy and
indeed pleasurable to read, and, more
important, easy to understand. It is
written so clearly
and
is so well illus-
trated by authoritative examples
that
it cannot fail to interest apoliceman.
A lot of case law quoted is, of course,
inapplicable here, but
that
in no way
detracts from its value by comparison.
For
the rest the principles are the same
whether we be in the Orient or
Occident.
In his chapter on Corruption the
author
includes much historical detail
which leaves one in little doubt
that
prostitution is not necessarily the
oldest
profession-if
crime is a pro-
fession. And, as he points out, we in
this country have
not
always been
whiter
than
white. However,
that
is but
an interesting sideline, one of many
in the book, which makes an interest-
ing
and
valuable professional work
such a pleasure to read. The
author
is
obviously a
man
of high integrity
and
Iparticularly like his advice to an
investigator:
"Good
end
can
never
justify bad means. End and means
must
both
be clean". T.L.
WITH
THE
PISTOL
P. C.
FREEMAN:
Modern Pistol Shooting. Faber. 30s.
Major Freeman's manual will be
valued by any police officer who is
interested in .22 pistol shooting as a
sport. Himself apistol shooter of
international status, he has written
abook of the most careful and prac-
tical kind, full of excellent advice and
of
useful, interesting information.
His whole treatment is responsible and
serious and will particularly commend
itself to members of the Service for
that
reason.
What
he has to say, too,
is based on his own distinguished
October 1968
experience. The novice will find in it
the means oflaying asound foundation
for a satisfying shooting career; the
practised shooter will find in it an
effective check on his performance
and a rewarding source of correction.
The photographs and diagrams are
clear and instructive. This is the
most up-to-date and the best
book
on
its subject in English, on a neglected
aspect of firearms.
QUAESTOR
485
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