Recent Book: Criminal Law: Russell on Crime
| Author | J. Daniel Devlin |
| Date | 01 July 1964 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6403700715 |
| Published date | 01 July 1964 |
| Subject Matter | Recent Book |
BRAVELY
STRUGGLING
HELEN
PARKHURST:
Undertow. G. Bell &Sons. 21s.
This is the story of Tony, a truly
remarkable American boy who was
sentenced to five years' imprisonment
for peddling dope in 1951. This was
his first serious offence but he had been
in and out of trouble since the very
early days of his introduction to life in
the dingy streets
of
Harlem.
The story follows many years of
research, mainly in the form of unique
tape recordings of his personal
Iife-
his hopes, disappointments, tragedies,
triumphs, fights and girl friends.
Everything comes vividly to life as the
result of his exceptional gift of talking
naturally and honestly about his
experiences.
Apart from anything else, this story
gives a wonderful insight into the pro-
blems and heartbreak of a reformed
criminal who desperately wants to " go
straight"
but is constantly plagued by
his former criminal colleagues. We see
how Tony struggles bravely to free
himself permanently from the evil
influences that try to drag him back
into the stream of
crime-this
is the
undertow.
Although an American book about
American people, this could so easily
be an English boy amongst English
people, or people of any nationality.
So clear are his statements, thoughts
and philosophy that they really live
in the pages. Here, surely, are ex-
plained the causes of much of
our
juvenile delinquency - explained
clearly, without prejudice, and with
many and varied solutions put forward,
all in a style which is simple, easy to
grasp, and shiningly honest.
I would recommend all thinking
people to read this
story-I
would
certainly advise all parents, school
teachers, probation officers, children's
officers, police officers, and all who
have to do with children in any way
whatever to read it. This is not a text
book-it
has an urgency and excite-
ment which makes this true story as
intriguing as some
of
the great works
of fiction. Once having started this
one, you will certainly have some
difficulty in putting it down.
R.
SHARMAN
CRIMINAL LAW
J. W.
CECIL
TURNER:
Russell on Crime, 12th Edition. (2 Vols.) Stevens. £14 14s.
Russell is, and has been for many gerous driving, it is rather surprising
years, the great authority on English to find that Evans [1963] I Q.B. 412,
criminal law. It is rarely used by work- is given a mere mention and not dealt
ing policemen, probably because of its with at length. Since the 11th edition,
price, although many hundreds
of
the Court of Criminal Appeal has
Police College students and ex-students given the (in some ways) strange
will have used it to prepare research decision of Hopkins and Collins (1957)
papers while working in the College 41 Cr. App. R. 231, which seems
library, and will testify to its excellence. directly to oppose the meaning given
Mr. Turner (who is probably better
to"
falsity" in the law of forgery by
known to police students as the editor Russell. Mr. Turner submits, with a
of
Kenny and co-author of Cases on veryconvincing argument,
that
the case
Criminal Law) has continued the pro- should not be regarded as an authority
cess of bringing the work up to date for setting aside the hitherto well-
which he began in the 11th edition. By established view of what constitutes
removing some of the dead wood which falsity.
appeared in the previous edition the The number of chapters remains the
number of pages has been reduced same as in the previous edition, but
from 1,843 to 1,583, and this welcome the number
of
parts has been increased
feature together with the use of thinner from 12 to 13. This, however, is
paper has resulted in a sleeker and necessitated by a mere re-arrangement
handier Russell. of the chapters and is not due to
All the important new cases have additional material. Although the
been mentioned: Smith, Shaw, Sykes, work is in two volumes, the editor
Bratty, Welham, and Fisher v. Raven; has continued the excellent device of
but in view of the importance today of providing an index in each volume,
offences relating to road traffic and, in which greatly assists the reader. In the
particular
of
causing death by dan- tables of cases and statutes, many
July 1964 348
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