Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-09-26

HICAGo, Ill, Sept. 23.-Not long ago there was
4 daring automobile robbery here A young auto
~ bandit nineteen twenty years old stole an
automobile filed it of his young friends ana
went iov riding at forty miles Result he
collided with another killed himself injured
occupants of both vehicles, and smashed Things up
generally The general verdict that reckless ana
dangerous youth had received his Just deserts
But down at the municipal court, where the criminal
branch courts dispose of 400 500 cases day. there
Is a new tool for the long of the law known as
The nsvchopathic laboratory this laboratory Sir
walter Scott would say much more anon In the case
of the bandit the records of the laboratory were
consulted to if the young man had ever been IN
court If the laboratory had any record OF him.
The laboratory had.
The purpose of the laboratory is to examine offend
ers bv the recently developed psychologist and PSYCHE
strc methods if they normal mentally, or
~ tbev are feeble otherwise irresponsible
The automobile thiefs showed that he had basal
age mentally, Of eight years. and average age OF
ten years In other words he had the mind of child
ten years old lines of child only eight years
old with the desires and strength Of his nineteen
yearold body he had stolen the car and then he had
run it with the judgment of a ten-year-old child
Viewed this light. his crime and its consequences
are more pathetic than thrilling.
Here you have one case of many thousand
Hare YOU have an example the science and the
new ideas that making people sit and think all
over the world Here you have stray Of the light
that may show concept of what crime is, and
what criminal is, of what punishment should be, and
what is Justice.
stated badly the point expert investigators
arA coming to the conclusion that criminal in many,
the majority OF cases, is criminal not
because natural perversy the devil has entered into
him but there is something the matter with
his brain. is closet conclusion, reached by
theoretical expert his armchair that
has been from the study of thousands of
Here in Chicago the busiest psychatric laboratory in
The United States if in the world, is located Dr.
EIickson the expert in charge has just reported
ZOO cases-the largest number of criminals
studied by expert alienist and neurologist be
reported IN a single document
70 the new concept criminal is the right
tbA recognition Of it will results of immense
ironortance It will obviously make big difference in
+ NV criminals are handled. This question that
touches all of only it affects the safety Of
o,rseves and our property, but also because third
m a half Of the pay to protect us against
g. criminal the feeble minded and the insane and to
corn1 for them in institutions. 1t will also that
the criminal will get real justice.
Az this point just we'll state that there is
nothing sentimentalistc maudlin about making out
. case for the lawbreaker the of added
ta1itv The psychopathc laboratory. 1t is taking
all manner criminals large and small the net of
the law gathers them in daily from the streets Of
chicago finds that many of them right
mentally and this inevitably taken into consideration
extenuatng circumstance It ought to be- if it is
true If that what is the matter with criminals
the sooner it and provide for It the
II has been urged here where the people have been
srgTing warmly their psychopathtc laboratory.
tbo+ nv decreasing the number of convictions and
nunisments the number of crimes would be
The old idea other words that fear of the law
vents crime Perhaps does with normal people;
with the abnormal it doesn't because their brains
don't work right In old England they used hang
people for stealing cents worth of muslin
To punish the normal criminal and to recognize and