Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1911-02-16
CRIME IS DISEASE
Habitual Criminal Is Like Con-
firmed Invalid.
Should Be Treated Same as Epilepsy,
Neurasthenia or Any Other
illness, and Doctor Points
Out His Theories.


that thousands of the acts for which
men are sentenced to prison are not
crimes, and protesting that crime Is
always a deed committed by an indi-
vidual when in a diseased state, DR..
Joseph |. Mclaughlin, physician to
the state prison at Charlestown, who
has had as much experience with
criminals as any physician in Boston,
declares that the disease called crime
is destined to be treated like cpl
lepsy or neurasthenia or any other
disease, and the doctor goes on TO
bear out his theories by reference 10
surprising catalogue of cases with
which he has come in contact.
This record includes not only crimes
which sent men TO the chair or to pro-
tracted imprisonment In the state pris-
on. but also those which have been
committed within the prison walls.
misdeeds which would seem impos-
sible could take place under the very
eyes of watchful wardens.
Crimes ranging from the darkest
felony to the most untoward depravity
are cited in his list. Dr. Mclaughlin
presents for one example the prodrc-
ton of counterfeit money by corvicts
who use the jail as their workshops,
and who utilize the equipment Of the
prison for the carrying on 81 their
handiwork. He says:
Both of these acts may be classed
as crimes, except that in the second
instance of counterfeiting the mis-
creant was somewhat unbalanced. land
on this account could not be blamed
for the dede, even in accordance with
the accepted treatment of criminals.
He had since been sent back to the in
sane asylum from which he came
but 1t is unfair to generalize about
the misdeeds which take place inlhe
state prison, and to call themI all
crimes. The individuals point of flew
must be considered.
I'm the accepted sense a crimeA aft
er ALL is nothing but that which, the
law happens to call wrong. Butfn a
large number Of cases the criminal
does not know, or does not reflize,
that he is criminal Ii is, therefore,
quite to be expected that a mani who
has spent his whole life in one pccu.
patton, which is known as crimiffl tc
the world at large. such as coulter.
feiting or burglary, should turn n}tur,
ally to that occupation when he)has
been in Jail.
1T is not fair to say that a ma3is q
hardened criminal because he(does
the things in prison which he VS. az
customed 10 do when he was fr} II
is natural for him to turn TO hi3occu.
patton when he has lost his fr3dom
The present system Of occupyig the
attention of the prisoners with some
elevating pursuit OF study or bcrea.
ton has done much to iiprove
this condition, and many men hke be
gun doing untold good by se1fng a
term in prison.
1T is no longer radical 10 hon that
crime is a disease. 1t has bfn es.
tablished that drunkenness ISL dis.
ease This was until short the ago
accounted a crime. ! see no teason
why the misdeeds Of a man wb IS a
victim of alcohol should be rbliated
any more than those of a nj who
has done some act under hfstress
of an analogous disorder
AS for the treatment Of crik as 2
disease, so much depends ubn tho
personal equation Of the individual in
question that it is hard to g{eralize
about IT, In treating a caseJ crime.
1t is essential 10 take into{onsider.
alton the stress under whic}be per.
son committed the act for tbicb be
Ia being judged, and the cod fions Of
life which he has been iivt under
and the motives which promN him
Many other factors will also (ier tho
diagnosis. II we may call 1t ~ vary.
ing with every case. The efent Of
home training is one of the bst i'm.
portant."
DR. Mclaughlin says II Is {curious
fact that among the prisouJ al tho
state prison he has found a Jy small
percentage Of CAGES Of hiss. con.
= victs being. as rule, a tnarkably
healthy set of men.