Writing Worth Reading
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Writing Worth Reading
What groups these books together? Are they all about new crime detection techniques at the end of the 19th century?
They all involve the early days of the science of criminology, which involved forensic science and criminal psychology. The late 19th century was an amazing time in several fields of science, and the scientific examination of crime was no exception. Scientists were exploring ways to interpret evidence (what had occurred) and delve into the causes of criminal behaviour (why it occurred). All these books deal vividly with those themes.
And they’re focused particularly on the era in which your own book – about the capture of the French serial killer Joseph Vacher – is set?
Yes. The Vacher case took place from 1893 to 1898, and most of these books appeared right around that time. It’s amazing how much they reflect not only the science of the times, but also the era’s state of mind. I recently reread Dracula. (It kept me up nights, just as it did when I first read it at age 15.) What strikes me is how much that book reflected society’s nightmare of what the criminal was, and how closely it adhered to then-current theories about the criminal mind. All these books touch on that to some degree.
Let’s start with The Complete Sherlock Holmes.
Sherlock Holmes is the prototype for the master criminologist – the methodical detective who uses science to solve crime. I’m struck by the similarity between the powers attributed to Sherlock Holmes in that era and those attributed to the CSI television shows in our own. It might seem an odd comparison, but think about it: Sherlock Holmes used the latest methods in scientific analysis, solved crimes with blinding speed and was dead certain of himself at all times. Which is exactly what characterises today’s CSI shows.
Interestingly, Dr Lacassagne, the French criminologist who is the hero of my book, was a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories, which were published in the course of his career. In fact, he was such a fan that he had one of his graduate students prepare a thesis on the science of Sherlock Holmes. I was lucky enough to find it, and found Dr Lacassagne’s handwritten remarks scribbled all over it. You can imagine my excitement at finding the real-life hero of my book commenting on one of the great fictional detectives of all time. Conversely, Conan Doyle knew about the real scientists and their work, and mentions them in his stories. So there was an amazing interplay between fiction and nonfiction.
What was Dr Lacassagne’s conclusion?
Although he enjoyed Sherlock Holmes, Lacassagne thought the science was a bit weak. Holmes worked alone, while real-life forensic scientists worked in teams, even then. Most notably, Holmes never conducted an autopsy – which even then was the staple of the criminal investigation.
Of course, none of that detracted from Holmes’s popularity. In a world beset by uncertainty and chaos and fear, it’s comforting to imagine there is someone out there who, with keen intelligence and a scientific method, can put things back in order, and make the world safe again. I think that’s part of Holmes’s enduring appeal.
Was France the leader in forensic science at this time?
Yes. The British were maybe ten to 15 years behind. The Americans were decades behind. The real leaders comprised a coterie of scientists in France, Austria, Italy and Germany.
Your next book is Hans Gross’s Criminal Investigation, a Practical Handbook for Magistrates, Police Officers and Lawyers, from 1891.
Yes. This is a handbook, but sections read like literature. The Austrian jurist Hans Gross was part of the era’s coterie of forensic pioneers – but while the others were doctors, he was an attorney. So he took the science of criminal investigation and translated it into colloquial language. The result is a handbook that ordinary investigators could read – as could you or I.
In addition to describing the new techniques in criminal detection, Gross discusses what kind of person the investigator needs to be. Some of the passages are almost inspirational. For example: ‘An investigating officer must possess the vigour of youth, energy ever on the alert, robust health and extensive acquaintance with all branches of law. He ought to know men, proceed skilfully, and possess liveliness and vigilance. Tact is indispensable, true courage is required.’
And it holds up over time?
Gross’s book would be useful to this day. It’s an enormous volume, covering everything from collecting evidence to maintaining an uncontaminated crime scene. Gross also writes about the sociology of criminals, and about how to tell if a suspect is faking insanity – which was quite common in those days.
He also writes presciently about the proper way to conduct an interrogation. He makes it clear that you should never use torture in the course of an investigation. You need to be clever and persistent, and eventually the suspect will unburden himself to you. That’s a striking observation, given our disgraceful recent history in that area.
Whereas previously, the conventional wisdom was that torture was in fact a good way to get information?
Yes. They would round up the usual suspects, pressure them to the point of torture, and hope someone cracked. Their success rate was quite low. At the time, other books by lawyers were coming out on how torture is a terrible idea in an investigation – not only morally, but also in terms of gaining accurate testimony.
Douglas Starr is co-director of the Graduate Program in Science and Medical Journalism at Boston University. His first book, Blood: An Epic History of Medicine and Commerce, received wide critical acclaim and was turned into a series by PBS. His writings on science, medicine and public health have appeared in, among others, The New Republic and The LA Times, and on NPR. His second and most recent book is The Killer of Little Shepherds, about the French serial killer Vacher and the birth of modern forensic science.
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