The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-04-16
PLAN CLINICS
TO STUDY CRIME
Psychiatric Research Offers Pos.
sibilities in the Solving Of
Problems.
WORK RENEWED after WAR
Preventive Rather Than Cure 10 the
Watchword Of the Modern Psy.
chiatrist-Reach Them Before
Crime Becomes a Habit

New YOrk.-Broad Disabilities fol
the operation Of psychiatric clinics IL
connection with courts and correction
al institutions during the reconstruc
ton period are outlined In ain article
appearing in Mental Hygiene, writer
BY DR.. Thomas w. Salmon, medical
director of the national committee fol
mental hygiene. The title of the ar.
ticle Is "SOme New Problems for Psy.
chiatric Research in Delinquency"
The work Of which DR.. Salmon
writes was we'll under way in a num-
Der of institutions, notably in the
vicinity of New York City, when war
interrupted it, taking many of the
trained psychiatrists into the service
and otherwise curtailing the effort to
apply the principles Of modern psy-
chiatry to the handling of persons ac-
cused Of crime and those already con-
victed.
Sufficient progress had been made
with the work, says DR.. Salmon, to
assure it of an important place in all
future efforts to get at the roots of
crime and delinquency and to make
1t certain that these conditions "can
no more be successfully managed with
out investigating the state of the or
gan of conduct than disorders of other
kinds can be treated without under
the processes responsible for
them."
Its Importance In Courts.
The beginning of the application Of
psychiatry to crime and delinquency
vas through clinics in children's
courts. Successful here, it-spread in
% other criminal courts and into in
'titutions where, according to DR..
Salmon, it is destined to play an i'm
'ortant part in determining the best
Methods for handling prisoners so as
o do the best by them and by society
Is well.
In connection with the part the
is destined to play in
modern court procedure, DR.. Salmon
relieves that the establishment of such
linics presided over by experts with
70 connection with either side Of the
asses tried, will 60 long way toward
ringing about better conditions. Con-
erning the so-called "alienist" and
is "expert testimony" DR.. Salmon
avs:
why supreme courts and courts of |
he general sessions content them
elves with the so-called medico-legal
estimony of 'alienists' employed by
he district attorney and the defense
which is neither medical nor legal
emafns a mystery. The findings of
psychiatric clinic, scientifically and
npartially conducted with the sole |,
urpose of aiding the judges in dispos-
lg of human issues before them, have
ore practical value than all the ex-
ert testimony that either side could
lrchase with the proceeds of liberty
an"
Wide Field for Investigation.
Interesting especially is the sugges-
on by DR.. Salmon of the possibilities
finding out the deep seated causes
anti-social conduct in the individual
trough psychiatry. He says COM
lratively small element furnishes the
line Of community and affords a
I'D for scientific and impartial, I'M
'ejudiced study that is rich and al
ost virgin.
He thinks that this phase of GRIM
ology has barely been scratched as
It and believes it should be carried
r in an endeavor to trace to their
urces the original impulses for
ime, so that eventually remedies may
found. ,
Prevention, rather than cure, is the
atchword Of the modern psychiatrist,
1t is Of the modern physician, al
ough neither is inclined to neglect ,
e person who has fallen Ill. DR.. s
lmon emphasizes the need Of clinics -,
at may reach first offenders before 8
line has become habit. These, dis I
vering the sources Of criminal i'm 3,
lses and applying the proper {
may restore many persons |
anti-social tendencies to society as I