At a time when the upward trend in crime continues steadily and our annual total of indictable offences in 1960 is certain to be the highest ever recorded by the police, it is perhaps not unreasonable that many who are concerned with the day-to-day administration of the criminal law and the treatment of offenders, are doubting whether all this recent activity and expenditure in criminological research can produce results likely to be of practical value in dealing with this phenomenon of lawlessness, now universally regarded as a major social problem of contemporary society.

A survey of the results of research by sociologists and others in their efforts to solve delinquency problems which was published only two years ago by Lady Wootton offers little encouragement. In it she seriously questioned the methods used and many of the conclusions reached by workers in this field. In fact, it was pointed out that current theories in criminology are so numerous that they can easily accommodate any facts, however mutually contradictory they may be! In fact, ‘A lament for criminology’ might have been the subtitle of this admirable book. It is true that since then the situation has to some extent improved, and in recent years the Government has strengthened the arm of research by its support and practical tokens of its interest.

But on the basis of past experience, it would, nevertheless, be unwise to expect in the near future any spectacular results from research which could possibly lead to an immediate and substantial diminution in the annual volume of crime.