Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-09-29
New Light on Crime
iV.-THE OUTLOOK
By Frederic Y. Haskin

| nelds are always ultracOnserVauVe.
They are treading on uncertain
ground, and they like to pile up data
until they can generalize with certain
ty. But the message of the labora-
4 tories can already be interpreted from
the results of their work, and 1t is at
once hopeless and hopeful.
1t is hopeless as applied to the re-
form of many of the criminals that
we have on our hands today. There
is no cure for feeble-mindedness. You
can not reform delinquent who has
something the matter with his brain
by cutting out adenoids or filling
! teeth. These unfortunates are ma
tional burden and will have to be re-
garded as such. That is the hopeless
side Of it.
/, The hopeful side lies in the fact
J that If the laboratories are right.
much crime is a disease, and disease
can be stamped out These brain
+, troubles belong in large part to the
{, group os ills that are hereditary. 1t
cases. but it will be possible to pro-
vide for future generation that will
be free from the plague. The doctors
qualify the statement that the disor-
dered brain which leads to crime Is
hereditary by pointing out that a GER.
tain percentage of the cases are due
to injuries to the brain at birth or
in early childhood. But such cases
present no menace to the future. be-
cause their trouble, being acquired
and accidental instead Of Unborn will
not crop out in future generations.
For a practical method of dealing
with these criminals who are GRIMM
ais because their minds are stunted
or diseased, the establishment Of farm
colonies where they can live comfort
ably but apart is suggested. These
colony Of normal people. The feeble
minded can be made like any country
conoly Of normal people. The feeble
minded case is not dangerous or in
'tractable: on the contrary he is unu-
ally likable and willing. open to any
form Of suggestion. That IS what
makes him a danger in the city.
In simple environment. the feeble
minded get along well enough. Almost
every little country town has its Crazy
harmless. Everybody knows him:
farmers give him odd jobs; hotel keep
ers let him wash dishes for meal.
Children may mock him occasionally,
but in general he gets the kindly con-
sideration he needs. But let Crazy
Joe come to the city, with its complex
environment. its fierce competition. its
inevitable ruthlessness, and he will
show up in police court as sure as fate.
One more criminal is added to the
social problem.
Cases such as these would be per-
fectly contented in farm colony.
Under proper direction they could
produce enough to pay their way.
Friends and relatives could visit them.
They would be removed from an en-
vironment too much for them. from
game whose rules are made for the
normal man.
Unfortunately mental trouble in
criminals is not confined to feeble
mindedness. Those who suffer from
arrangements and dementia grated
on feeble mindedness. or whose minds
are not feeble but deranged will have
to be treated with more restraint. The
farm colony or, some similar measure
seems to be about the best thing for
them too. but it will have to be a farm
colony with fences.
Does this mean doing away with
prisons? 1t does not It means simp-
~ the separation of the normal from
the abnormal among criminals. and
just how many belong to each class
no one can say as yet. Only the sec.
ond class is larger than we dreamed.
1t should be stated with great clar-
ity that the system Of psychopatic ex.
aminations does not mean that 1t Is
easier for an offender to escape pun.