Crime is as old as mankind - but fortunately, until recent years - crime was generally confined to a relatively small portion of society and except in rare instances was not a matter of great concern to the general public. This is no longer true. Crime now involves and impinges upon all levels of our society, and is of great concern to all thinking people.

Because of the apparent increase in lawlessness, and the contemptuous attitude toward the law and the widespread disregard for duly constituted authority on the part of too many persons, the 1966 Session of the General Assembly of Virginia expressed its concern by adopting House Joint Resolution 113 directing a study of crime in the Commonwealth.

Pursuant to this resolution, the Speaker of the House of Delegates appointed the following members of the House as members of the Commission: Stanley C. Walker, Norfolk; W. C. Daniel, Danville; Guy O. Farley, Jr., Fairfax. The President of the Senate appointed the following members of the Senate to the Commission: William H. Hodges, Chesapeake; George S. Aldhizer, II, Broadway; and James W. Davis, Agricola. The Governor appointed: William N. Paxton, Jr., Richmond; Joe Richman, Newport News; and Erwin S. Solomon, Hot Springs, as members of the Commission.

The Commission organized by electing Mr. Walker as Chairman and Senator Hodges as Vice-Chairman. G. M. Lapsley and Daniel E. Bray, Jr., served as Secretary and Recording Secretary, respectively to the Commission.

The Commission met on numerous occasions and conducted a series of public hearings throughout the State - in Norfolk, Roanoke, Fairfax and Richmond. These hearings were well-attended and those who addressed the Commission expressed their concern with the many problems in this field confronting the Commonwealth.

In addition, the Commission had the benefit of counsel with experienced and responsible persons from law enforcement agencies, experts in the field of corrections and parole, leaders in the area of public education, and concerned judges and criminologists. The Commission acknowledges its indebtedness to all those who assisted it during the course of its study.

Because of the broad generality of its directive and limitations of time and funds, the Commission elected to concentrate its inquiry initially into these principal areas:

(1) Riots and public lawlessness;

(2) Improvements in police methods and procedures;

(3) Programs and facilities in the field of probation, parole and rehabilitation of convicted off enders; and

(4) Juvenile delinquency.

Based on the data before it, and after mature consideration, the Commission has reached the conclusions and makes its recommendations.