The Detroit times., 1915-09-22
Clinics for Criminals.
BY II. ApDINGToN BRUCE,
Author of The Riddle Of Personality"
Psychology and Parenthood." etc.

The modern conception of crime as a symptom
of disease has been so conyincingiy verified by
scientific research that there ought to be estab-
hshed in every city IN the United States clinics
for the observation and treatment CT offenders
against society
some American cities already have such
clinics in connection with their juvenile courts.
In others the clinical study OF delinquents is 10
some extent carried on by semipublic agencies,
like the Psychological clinic OF the University OF
Pennysylyania.
But there still is lacking the nationwide or
ganization OF court and prison clinics THAT
MUST BE PUT INTO OPERATION II The
PROBLEM OF CRIME Is TO BE SATISFACT-
Only SOLVED.
The system OF dealing with criminals by mere
" isolating them from the non-criminal class
is as futile as It is cruel II Is futile because
il gives no opportunity OF ascertaining the par
ticular factors that need to be reckoned with II
the individual criminal is To be restored 10 pro
ductiye membership in society.
Those factors are many and varied. In most
cases. il il safe to say, criminals are chiefly
/ the products OF a bad environment and faulty
training Their minds have been weakened
thereby 10 an extent that makes 1t hard for
them 20 determine between right and wrong, on
TO resist the desire OF the moment.
Such criminals are mentally and morally
diseased. BUT THEY ARE NOT INCURABLY
! DISEASED
| be RPpea IT, the bad. BY the simple process ot
| changing their environment and giving them a
willdeyelOping education.
At almost any age. in fact, there is a chance
! for the reformation of criminals OF this type
provided they made the subjects OF care
ful indiy idua study To their natural aptitude
and tempermental pecularites. Such study
! could be carried on, during the period OF de
tenton. by the clinical psychologist.
Other Criminals, similarly handicapped by a
! bad early environment, suffer I'm addition from
constitutional brain-defects Of varying serious
ness. The possibility of their reform, and the
| treatment they should receive II reformable
depend the extent 10 which their brains are
affected. Only through clinical examination
! by specialist in mental disease can this i'm
portant point be determined
Also experience has shown that many minor
| physical defects play part in the making OF
criminals.
| In Chicago, for example. persistent offender
when examined at the phychopathic institute
| connected with the Cook County Juvenile Court
was found 10 be suffering from extreme but IN.
suspected eyesirain
Given eyeglasses. and provided with a con.
genial occupation. he was a criminal no more
In Cleveland a habitual drunkard. a man
committed TO prison ninetythree times in thirt,
years. became a faithful and sober worker
afte[ az operation for the cure Of longstanding
dental disease
what We need" says Judge Lindsey. speak.
ing OF the criminal "ls more knowledge more
understanding This must pertain TO human be.
ings. rather than the mere things they do
In view OF facts like the above surely II is
evident that the knowledge and understanding
can be- gained ONLY ny THOROUGH PSYCHIC
| LOGICAL AND MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF
EVERY WRONGDOER
| To this end the establishment OF clinics for
| criminals in all large centres of population Is
an IMPERATIVE NECESSITY.