The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-10-20
Test Criminals Minds
g. n. ApoiNGToN BRUCE.
Author Of The Riddle OF Personality
Psychology and Parenthood." etc

A recent experiment by the state OF Nassa-
chusetts has furnished a strong argument TO
those who believe. as do. that in the interests
Of society thorough psychological examination
should be made Of every person convicted OF
crime
As things stand, juvenile delinquents are thus
tested in many states. But in the case OF adult
criminals the rule is TO make mental tests only
when the crime committed has been one involy.
ing the death penalty or some unusually long
term OF imprisonment
Yet the fact is that many criminals are go
conditioned By durable incurable mental dc.
fecrs that In the .bsence OF careful diagnosis
and proper treatment. IT is VIRTUALLY IN
POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BECOME CSEE L.
OK EVEN SAFE, MEMBERS OF SOCIETY
Imprisonment has no deterrent effect on such
criminals for the reason that their minds are
too undeyeloped 20 allow them 10 control
adequately their desires and their passions
Freed fr3In restraint and having received our
/ ing restraint no miud-developing treatment
! APPROPRIATE TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL
NEEDS, they soon fall back into criminal
! life.
No more convincing proof Of the truth Ct
these statements gyUld be fOund than in the
results OF the experiment undertaken IL Massa-
chusetts This consisted IN the appl cation Of
psychological tests 20 the inmates Of the sta g
prison al CharlestoNn.
OF the first hundred criminals in this prison
examined by Or r. ". Stearns. assistant 20
the state board OF lunacy. no fewer than forty
seven gave indications Of Unborn or acquired
mental deficiency. subsequent testing OF these
lforty-seven BY G.. s. Rossy psychologist and
special investigator for the board. resulted. in
the case 81 TWENTYTHREE. In a definite
diagnosis Of feeble-mindedness.
Commenting on this IN a statement To Bos
ton newspaper. Or L. Vernon Briggs. prom
inent member or the state board OF insanity
Justly pointed out
''If these predetermined cares had been recog
lnized before they were com mitted 70 prison tn
repeated crimes Of which many OF them have
been guilty would have been avoided the *
lpenEe 81 trial and other expenses would have
been saved and the suffering caused by thei
I criminal acts would also have been saved
For instance one OF the prisoners examine,
Is 40 years Of age. He was sentenced for brea
, ing and entering. The examination OF his men
tai condition revealed that mentally he IA lltt
G more than II years old.
Z This man has served terms in Elmira
: Homsbury. Deer Island. Backwels Island
j Rhode Island state prison, Syracuse; Paris
! France. sad Holloway prison, England Ate
the expiration OF his several terms this man
$ mentally under II years % age. has been turne
4 loose into society 20 commit other crimes"
Al the time ~ writing. Investigator Ross
9 has not reported his findings for the entir
prison. But, since he has made no specia
selection OF cases, merely taking the prisoner
in Alphabetical order the results OF this pre-
liminary survey will doubtless be repeated.
e Many additional cases OF feeble-mindednes
viii be brought 10 light, and many cases q
other types OF mental deficiency calling 10
special educative treatment as indlspen sable I
moral as well as 10 mental health
4 Surely. as a matter OF justice to wrongdoer
4 themselves. and for the safety OF the con
immunity, this Massachusetts, experiment shoul
I be the beginning OF . habitual testing OF erin
Z leE1ninlAe ovi>iag ssntsncs Tor the crimeS &c
VI II 80 -. 0DY1n01.