Towards Promotion
| Date | 01 January 1943 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X4301600118 |
| Published date | 01 January 1943 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
THE
POLICE
JOURNAL
learnt, and when more wrong identifications had been made and
rectified, there were few mistakes. Like Sherlock Holmes, the practised
observer can often
turn
to his amazed friends and
say"
Elementary,
my dear fellow."
Towards Promotion
ON
CONSULTING REFERENCE BOOKS
QUE ST ION S in examination papers which are grouped
under
the
headings "Criminal
Law,"
"General Statutes and Regulations "
and"
Evidence and
Procedure"
are many and varied. Skill in answer-
ing them depends largely on the candidate's store of knowledge not only
of specific offences,
but
on the general preventive and penal plan which
determined the action of Parliament when the particular enactment was
placed on the Statute Book.
The
year of the enactment, or of its amend-
ment or revision, is also pertinent.
The
constant delving into reference
works and other books on law which marks the diligent studentequally
as it distinguishes the practitioners in the Courts requires an intimate
acquaintance with the lay-out and the means of access to the storehouses
of legal knowledge like " Stone," "
Archbold"
and " Oke."
"
Stone"
is this year celebrating its anniversary as the manual on
which courts of summary jurisdiction and all connected with
them
rely
for guidance in relation to procedure and the penalties and, in quasi-
criminal and many civil matters, the orders which the courts may make.
In
courts of quarter sessions and assize "
Stone"
seldom appears, its
place being taken by
"Archbold."
Archbold's Criminal Pleading is the
standard work containing the criminal law and procedure in the latter
courts, dealing almost exclusively with offences dealt with on indict-
ment. "Oke," as the publishers of its twelfth revised edition announced
in 1940, is the companion to "
Stone"
in
that
it contains the forms
required for informations, summonses, warrants, statements of offences,
complaints, orders and convictions in the multitude of varying cases in
which justices are called upon to adjudicate and act.
Few policemen can afford to maintain these standard works on
their personal bookshelves. But
even"
Halsbury "(thirty-odd volumes
of
"The
Laws of
England"
and a similar number of " Complete
Statutes ") can sometimes be found and consulted on application at the
local municipal library.
Most policemen aim at maintaining on their bookshelves a volume
of"
Stone," even if it be impossible to replace copies which are steadily
76
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