Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-14
CRIMINOLOGY FAR FROM
BEING AN EXACT SCIENCE
Subject Worthy OF Great Consideration Both to Crimes
Causes the Means of Remedyng Them With the Best
ReuIts-Anaysis of Glasses.

ment where the Identity of the one
faded and the other came forth
where irresponsibility ceased and &C
countahility for our acts to others
began. The ape recognized no law
save that called the first law OF
nature-self-pr preservation and graf
ifieation--and the fact that this char
acteristic is not wholly absent in the
attributes of humans lends bit of
color to the reasonableness Of this
not generally accepted theory.
Certain 1t is that as soon as so
ciety came into existence, in what
ever form and however crude, came
regulations for the better security of
all. Wrong. as understood. was for
hidden and acquired a name. Mod
ern security of life, limb and prop
erty of every description represents
the triumph of new ideas over the
old. Whether crime be q disease, or
just the perverseness of human ma
ture. or the clinging characteristics
of the ape. to be eliminated gradually
under the purifying influence of civil
ization until a time shall come when
our occupation as policeman shall
have passed away; whether in the
premises medical or psychological
treatment should be applied; whether
direct legislation or indirect, by way
Of educational method is to be pre-
ferred; corporal punishment or other
means, If the offender is bad, or a
degenerate, he needs, and ought to
have the benefit of retirement from
the scene of public activity to some
place where he may learn new trade
and receive the attention his case
seems to deserve.
OF course, the police do and ought
to do what they can consistently and
properly to help the unfortunate to
regain the path of rectitude, especial
ly beginners, by means other than
by forcing them into association of
the more depraved.
In apparently the same social and
physical environments, the greater
majority of persons, the wealthy,
poor, educated and illiterate, escape
the punishment of crime, and even
that reputation and suspicion which
always accompanies criminal faint.
From the above facts, one might con-
clude that the sole cause of crime
has its loci of points in the defeat
of the person accused arrested and
convicted. But the powers of OBJ
servation. good judgment and JUS
tice furnish us with facts by which
we are compelled to look upon this
question in another aspect. We must
leave this question to the inquiries of
science. law and philanthropy which
have been and viii continue to per-
form their mission through the dis
covery of suitable methods and, in
turn. by the application of those
methods to the subject in question.
The causes of crime are the fac
tors of personalities and environment
and of the reaction of personality
upon environment in the formation
of habits and new natures. Personal
nature is, at a moment, the product
of inherited tendencies, of acquired
habits and character, and of the re-
Spouse TO external circumstances.
The Elements Are Blamed.
There are certain police officials
and Others who claim that one of the
greatest factors that influence per-
sons are the elements, and very few
persons of the highest attainments
and character are exempt from the
disturbing influence of climate, sea-
sons, temperature, food and other
physical phenomena.
1t is claimed that warm climates
are productive of early marriages,
high birth rates, and the result is a
low plane of respect for humanity.
In these same climates, the death
rate is equally high, which tends to
modify its number
Typographical conditions also tend
to influence crime. Uncultivated
countries. their mountain ranges and
deep recesses furnish a home for
criminals Climate and topography
will remain as contestants, while or
ganization for protection, educa-
ton, religion, municipal government,
literature and the press, will tend
towards a change of habitat and re-
spect for human life. Crimes against
the person are very high in the west
and the south of the United States,
and we must consider here not only
climate, but pioneer conditions, con-
ficts of races and uncertain legal
control. These phenomena are con-
stantly diminishing after the popu-
lation of the frontiers has estab-
lished courts and constabulary and
the strengthening Of moral regula-
ton by public sentiment, The differ
ence in the number of crimes against
the person is much larger in summer
than in winter, and crimes against
property are more numerous in win
ter than in summer. Economic con-
ditions are the basis for crime
against property. Hard times and
speculative mania are more numer-
Gus in winter than in summer, In
winter pressure of want drives men
to theft. In summer, the open air
life increases opportunity for trouble
and collision, while the heat of
summer creates a high tension OF
temper.
Diurnal changes furnish a basis
for customs and habits. The night
is picked out by the criminal for
theft and burglaries. Steel safes and
time locks play their important part
by modifying the natural factors.
Lack of Industrial Education a Factor
Lack of industrial education is also
the cause of crime. In a recent
census of the 1884 criminals, 81,
426 were ignorant Of any trade, and
of this latter number 23.144 were ma.
tive born Americans. The basis OF
the wage rate Is efficiency in pro
duction. Hence q lack of efficiency
In skill and habits Of labor lead to &
criminal career.
Criminals have a caste system
among themselves. They have theil
leaders. Vanity plays large rol,
in their life. They have intelligenc,
and tl,ai,. H.. l.