Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-12-15
Bill Providing for Study Of
Criminals viii Be Presented

small TO be seen by the naked eye
while the greater bacillus Of the Grim
inal is not studied and the man is
iscnt 70 the penitentiary to serve his
term and be turned again upon the
community to commit his former
crimes
All Of these things, the expert be-
lieNes, are wrong. He thinks that the
T terminal attack upon President Roose-
Welt would not have been made had
| the man been held and studied the
| first minute that he showed an un-
| contrellable desire to reach the ex-
president. He believes that the many
reported attacks upon governors,
mayors or other prominent men would
never be made if the criminal were
held and studied by the experts and
/ his tendencies discovered before he
was allowed TO see these men. He
thinks that the hundreds of threaten
ling letters men in public life receive
would be powerful factor In the dis
Icovery of the criminally inclined and
would be an element in the reduc-
1tion OF the crime that now sweeps
from one part of the country to an
tother
I An expert can determine the ten
iaencies Of criminal, can discover his
desires and ambitions, can find out
what his plans are and how far he
will go IL the time is given in which
to make the study before the act is
committed. The expert thinks that
such a department is Just, If not more
necessary than the health department.
He asks how much of a loss this
country has suffered BY the assassina-
lion Of Lincoln. Garfield and Mckin=
ley. He believes that these crimes
could have been avoided had there
been such a bureau and had the men
been properly studied before they had
committed the crimes
In order to carry out such a plan of
study. he says the men under suspi-
#eion should be given an examina ton,
Il measurement Of the head and body
IN accordance with the science of an
thtepology psyche physical study
fof the person should also be given.
Including a measurement of the senses.
There should be a socialogic inquiry
into the antecedents and history of
the person from childhood A patholo-
+ gical study OF the signs of physical,
mental and moral stigma of degenera-
ton should be conducted, he thinks.
The fact that there are so many
crimes committed is due to the lack
Eof knowledge concerning criminals.
He points out that the lawyer does
not study his man as the doctor ex-
lanines his patient.
Millions of dollars are annually ex-
pended by governments for the scien-
tific investigation Of the antecedents.
peculiarities and behavior of some lit :
tie bacillus. causing the death of
plants or animals. but little or moth
ing Is given for a similar study Of the
larger human bacillus which has
caused nations to suffer losses be-
yond human calculation" he declares.
Who can estimate the mental.
moral and financial cost to the United
States of the assassination of Lincoln
Garfield or Mckinley? Shall we wait
/ until more of our presidents, COVER
nors, mayors and other distinguished
citizens lose their lives ut the hands
of these mattoid assassins before we
begin a serious. scientific and system
attic study of such dangerous inii-
viduals?"
/ He recommends a bill that he would
have the next session Of the legsla
ture pass authorizing the employment
of an expert and the establishment
of laboratory for the study Of such
men and women In this state. Sena-
tor Borah is a member of a commit
tee which has under consideration
such a bill in congress and he urges
the people of Idaho to advocate the
senator's support of the measure when
lit comes before him.