The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-08-10
How Criminals Are Made
~ n. AoolNcToN BRUCE,
Author of "The Riddle Of Personality"
Psychology and Parenthood. etc.

The modern science OF criminology has estab
lshed some facts which ought to be known oy
every citizen
They are facts Of especial importance to par
ents, for they leave no doubt that the problem
of delinquency and crime would be almost en-
tirely solved II parents as a class gave their
children the proper home influences.
Close students Of the crime problem no longer
hold the old notion that criminals are born, moi
made At most, the best authorities are agreed
not more than l or per cent. OF all criminals
are 90 constituted by birth that they take 10
crime as naturally and inevitably as duck
takes to water.
OF the rest a certain proportion-children OF
inebriates and Of weak-minded persons-are
known to inherit defects which predispose them
to crime. UNLESS SUBJECTED IN EARLY
LIFE TO TRAINING WHICH ENABLES
DEFECTS.
That training can do this--that. in short, EN-
vIRONMENT AND NOT HEREDITY Is the
chief factor In determining the kind OF life q
man shall lead-has been conclusivey demon
strated by many experiments.
Perhaps most impressive are the results OF
the activities Of the Childrens Aid Society OF
New York, which for more than half century
has been carrying on practical experiments In
MAN CULTURE
The wards of this society. numbering far into
the thousands. have been typical slum children.
Many of them have been the children OF no
toriousy criminal or vicious parents. Some
have been descended from long line OF Grim
inal ancestors.
Yet, taken from their degrading surroundings
and put into good homes. they have In the vast
majority Of cases grown TO be splendid men
and women.
According to statistics carefully compiled by
officials OF the society. nearly 80 PER CENT
are known TO have done well. and only ONE
QUARTER OF ! PER CENT are known to
have committed crimes.
Some died In early life. some had TO be re
turned TO New York. and some 2 IA per cen!
ran away from the homes In which they had
been placed, and were lost sight Of
Even assuming that all Of those who had 10
be returned, and all OF those who ran away,
apsed into evil habits, we still have In these
statistics convincing proof that 1T is THE
WHICH COUNTS FOR MOST IN THE CAUS-
ING AND PREVENTING OF CRIMINALITY
Other factors assuredly enter In. notably the
degree OF neglect attention that IL paid TO
a childs physical condition.
Investigation has proved that poorly noursh-
ed children are more likely to go wrong than
well nourished ones. SO are children suffer
ing from certain remedial physical defects.
This IL because the strain In these defects
put on their nervous system gives rise TO an abb
normal restlessness and enfeebles their will
power.
Many a Juvenile delinquent supposedly be-
longing 70 the born criminal" type, has grown
to a respectable manhood when given glasses
for the relief of eyestrain
Others have been equally benefited by an op-
Grafton for the removal Of adenoid growths.
Not that the eyeglasses or the surgeons
knife worked miracles OF reform. What they
did was simply 10 put the young delinquent into
a condition to respond to reformative training.
Training Ia always the essential thing-and q
training which includes, and above disci-
pine and exbortation. the force Of q good par
entail example.