“‘Great Crime Wave’ Sweeping Dominion,” Montreal Star. October 27, 1921. Page 1. ---- OTTAWA, Oct. 27— (By Canadian press) — That the increased population in Portsmouth penitentiary was not due to the suspension of the Ticket of Leave Act bit was due to a "great crime wave," which had not been checked, was stated here, this morning, by Judge W. P. Archibald, Dominion Carole Officer. The Ticket of Leave Act, he emphasized, was functioning as usual and an increased number of convicts were being released under its provisions every year. Judge Archibald made the statement in reply to a Kingston news despatch stating the high prison population was due to the suspension of the Ticket of Leave Act and that 840 prisoners were now held there.
"The prison population trouble," Judge Archibald declared, "is not in the parole system, but it emanates from other sources. A great crime wave has swept over our Dominion, especially in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces. This wave has not been checked.
“The number of serious crimes committed every day of the calendar year is appalling and it would not surprise anyone who understands the true situation to see the population of Kingston Penitentiary over 1000 prisoners in the course of a year or so, unless, as we hope, the wave now at its height begins to recede. Repressive and punitive measures alone have never in past history reduced the volume of crime. The civilized world today would welcome the dawn of a better day when more effective and regenerative treatment of the criminal can be demonstrated.”