Alphonse Bertillon and the measure of man: More expert than Sherlock Holmes

“Every measurement slowly reveals the workings of the criminal. Careful observation and patience will reveal the truth.” Thus wrote the French criminologist Alphonse Bertillon, who died 100 years ago in the spring of 1914. Almost forgotten today, he was the most famous criminologist of his time, a household name for his ingenious method of identifying criminals by carefully measuring 11 key dimensions of their bodies. He did more. He established the standardised procedures used in police forces to this day. Richard Farebrother and Julian Champkin look at a flawed near‐genius. Bertillon died in the spring of 1914. In his centenary year Richard Farebrother and Julian Champkin look at the bad‐tempered and appallingly obstinate policeman whose system of measuring the human body founded modern police techniques – and aroused the ire of Sherlock Holmes.