Show J 4 I Curbing the Forger j ji I i i A A FOREIGNER was sentenced by District cV Judge David W. W Moffat this tIiS week to Serve from one to twenty years in th state prison for forging a S 50 check The Tho defense attorney requested leniency a aF arguing ing that the guilty man had lad 01 only ony y be been ii in inthis inthis inthis this country two years years' and was ignorant of the Jaw law Rightly Judge Moffat declared This court cout is established to pass sentence in accordance accordance accordance ac ac- ac- ac with the law The pla place e to present present present pre pre- sent pleas for leniency is IS' is before before- the state board of pardons When a forger is before the thc court for sentence sen sen- tence it is the duty duly of the judge to follow th tire the statutes Forgery is a prison irison offense Unfamiliarity with America could be no ext extenuating ex ex- t Jl circumstance because the foreigner unquestionably knew that he lie was as committing a a. crime it It is js notorious how lenient the Utah courts are arc t toward ward forgers Hardly a week ji liaises ses but what some sonic wooden check artist J or let off with illI a a. light jail term The courts usually assume the role of c lIec- lIec tion ag agency ncr A merchant who has has' been defrauded de de- de- de will file a complaint and the offender will be arrested Immediately begins the process of obtaining leniency Often the agre agreement ment is reached under the courts court's sanction sanction sanc sanc- tie tion that the the defendant will be freed if he lie pys pHys back the losses The rhe harm that comes from front this collection agency system is that crooked persons may carry carryon on a systematic defrauding of merchants for a long time profiting a a great deal from bad pad checks c charge rge account account frauds an and shoplifting They bask m in the in-the the confidence that if they arc are caught they can fix the case simply by- by agreeing to make restitution And usually he do defeat justice justic It t is little wonder that forgery a and business business business busi busi- ness frauds are growing to serious proportions proportions proportions when some courts flaunt the statutes m making king such crimes punishable pu by prison terms To reduce a a. felony to a misdemeanor meanor whenever pressure is bro brought ma makes es a a. a m mock mock- ck- ck lery er ry of justice Judge Moffat t. is right right- the c courts should punish by a aprison prison term ing the maudlin leniency function to the board of pardons But sure q quick ick and adequate justice should be meted out to citizens of influence as IS well as to convicted foreigners A |