Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-12-13
MODERN CRIMINOLOGY.

The SUBJECT Of criminals aud orimi-
nality Ia one OF those In recent yoars
subjected 10 close vosligation. Pail
obophy, always on the search for causes,
now suggests that the responsibility Of
a criminal must be considered from a
point Of view entirely different 10 that
on which jurisprudence hitherto has
booH founded. II IL claimed the orlmi.
nal 10 an abnormal uersou, unbalanced
Ia his mind, or Influenced by cifoum-
stances over whish he has no control.
The new conception OF this subject "
almost entirely due 10 the lAbors Of the
Italian Professor Lombroso, who may
be- said To have laid the foundation o.
what claims to DO a new science, or vt
least a modern rsconstruction OF the
old science Of erlminology. II IL n
subject emlnently human aud one that
IL sure to command attention ct time
whom crime anu criminals seem 10
multiply on all hands, In splits Of all
efforts 10 CHECK the evil.
In tue Literary Digest there IL
nynopss Of French review Of the
new edition VI LomhrosJ'a work ON
tho cflminal, giving what ho oonbidors
the results Of his latest researches In
this field. The author has examined
skul!u Of Ssi, and the characteristic
features OF no less than 5000 criminal
individuals. lilo has given particular
attention TO the thoTAN, foot, hands
and ears and observed the anomalies.
TAttooing IL another feature hs has
observed and also molecular changes A.
evidenced by weight, sensation, etc.
The conclusion arrived. At 10 that the
born criminal IL n separate tyne OF
human beings. differing only Ia degree
from tho morally inSRne. lie classes
all orimiHals with epilepiica uuder
several groups OF "spilsptoids," Ia the
following ORDER The occasional orim.
inal; the criminal from passion; the
born criminal; the morally insane, and
"tho epiloptic." By epilsptolda he
understands those criminals that
yield only to an extremely powerful
temptation. But all degrees can DO
observed hstween the normal anu
abnormal state, those at ths foot Of the
scale being met with at every step Ia
society and having more chances of
remaining honest than falling into
crime, provided circumstance favor
them.
An important question, with which
the new theory does not proioss to deal,
IL, What becomes OF the responsibility
Of human beings? n every criminal
must bo regarded as the victim OF
forces over which he has no power and
which he cannot escape, II IL evident
that our Ideas OF justice as expressed ia
punishments anu rewards must be
changed. a Harry Hayward may
then properly face outraged society
and ask What right have you T.
take my me- And no other reply
seems possible under the new theory
than this, that society has right to
kill criminal on the same ground that
II kills a snake or a vol
for its own protection. But
II this be true, may not the snakes and
the wolves possibly have an equally
well founded right to Hsht Tor their
existence, according to their ability?
And n 20, where Ia the moral ana
philosophical arguments against thr
anarchlsuo ami pihillstIo Sutrages tha.
once Ia 4 while shock the worlg?
rhcories must be tested according 10
their Logical consequences,
The question is by no moans o.
modern origin. II Ia essentially the old
one OF the tree Will Of man carried
over Into new HE'LL and iobated lr