Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-10-12
TESTS AT PRISON SHOW
MANY C0NV|CTs INSANE
Thirty Per Cent Here Found
Feeblc-Aiiniled = Twenty Two
los Per Cent on Border Line"
EDUCATION RECORD is Low
Eight Per Cent Did Not Attend Any
Schooi-"Book Learning" of SIS
Per Cent Limitcd-Rcport of
Governors Advisory Board.

IHen AT Inc state Isniteatl3ry last
week under the newly inausurated
policy OF the Prison Board, sponsored
by the Chief Executive. shows some
startling figures. or the n:;y men
examined fifteen were found 10 be
feeble minded. Eleven o: the men
examined were border line" cases
Twenty were normal . nd four above
normal. mentally.
Border line" cases. the repor,
shows. marks tie boundary between
sanity and feeble mindcdness. Ii is
recorded 10 mean men WHOSE mental
lily ranges between 90 and 30 medi-
cal units in the examination. Below
this score are the various degrees
of insanity, OF which degrees fifteen
convic;s were found 10 be. The others
are above this line. with the eleven
exceptions. The report was fer but
fifty men. Under The approval Q.
tiove-nor Davis and the -'rison
Board 4 ;cs; OF the mentality O; all
OK the conv!ots in the State vii! he
made as soon as possible.
Many Belong In Hospitals.
Although preliminary in nature. tie
repor; shows. i is believed TIA; many
OF the prisoners in the penitcntiary
shouid in reality be inmates OF hos.
pitsis 70. the crim!nally insane. Col.
one! Leroy Hodges. aid 10 the Gov
ernor and chairman of the State
Psnitentiary Boad. however. said yes
,erday that il was his belief that the
preliminary test may not he an &c.
rurate forecast; OF The reminder OF the
work. In other words. tina; IL may
not mean that fifteen OF every fifty
convicts on The average are mentally
deficient
mother interesting feature OF the
examination shows that Two OF the
men examined We're college graduates
one. of the others had taken Il four
year college course. another had
some to college for three years. Two
had attended high school for four
years and two for TWO years. OF the
remainder eighteen dropped out OF
school above the NTH Grade. Twenty
hTe finished their schooling before
reaching the fourth grade. Four did
not so TO school at all.
PcruSal of the repor; shows that
most OF the men examined did no,
20 through the grades while more
than half of the number did not 60
through the fourth grade. AS all of
the men examined were white IL is
believed that the cducational sta nd
ard Of the test is not higher than the
average OF the tests will show ON. =
men were examined.
Would Improve System
"-~tjnicr the new system ipnpeu-a,.d
by Governor Davis, j; is planned in
sine to remove from The penitentiary
such OF its inmates who are proven to
rishtfn!ly belong IN hospitals Tor the
insane There is no way that per-
sons mentally unbalanced can be
cared for properly in the l-niten,iary
at The state Farm. or in road camps
Al. prescn; only by H.. exercise OF
great deal Of red Tape" c!tn con-
Wet he removed from The pcn!tcn-
the case. Although the Governor ha 9
the riEht 10 pardon convicts. he is
not given the right TO remove them
TO hospitals for the insane i! they
are found TO be fee BILE minded.
Examination OF all conv:cts is noyy
being made. The examinations are
.
cupst;onai, intellectual and cluca
tional qualifications OF the prisoners
When this is determined the Prison
board means 10 take steps to i'm
prove tlc condition OF conyic,s The
BOARD con'cmplatcs constructive
ponc?. ir!sonc:s are 10 tc put at
shch w"fh as they are fitted 10 do
they viii be given Il chance 10 I'm
prove their ability as worimcn
trough educational measures
planned.
Prisoner Describes Ills OGcnse
In an educational quest!onnair.
now being distributed among the
prisoners arc many questions with q
view OF determining tho ability of In.
prisoner. 4 br!c! history OF The Of
fcnsc for which he is !ucarcera,eJ
and history OF other crimes agains;
the law is asked for. Religious ten
denotes OF convict. whether !
church member. denomination. attn
fettc tendencies. special tastes. GIFTS.
pecuiiarities and infrmitics are in
Guided among the questions. Marital
state, number and nenta. condition
of children and biographical sketch
OF home lie. carly moral environ
rnent. opportunities, hand!caps and
!, other personal Information is sought.
Ability OF It convict to profit from
eX2crience, regularity Of habits. ner-
rous tension, preG!lcct!cn Tor com
partnership or solitude. such p.rson.,
qualities as ccnCc!t, cation. energy
depression. common sense. Industry,
persistence. adaptability. cheerful.
ness. unscihshncss. conscientiousncss
reyengefuiness ana holding of
Erudges are to be nned in by the
jailer.
All educational and phyGholov,ca,
q traits are TO be recorder and con-.
( plete history Of education with re-.
gard to occupation is 10 De made gu,
by the convict This regarded as
especially important. Through IN.
formation regarding the trade -. the
convict. his experience. former sal.
airy and other occupations at which
he has worked. 1, is hoped to plac.
Sinl in the most adaptable employ,
ment obtainab!c.
LeokinE Into the Future.
Looking ahead at the future III,
Z blank inquiries into the occupation
which the prisoner wishes TO take u,
on leaving jail, and what additions
- As "a - 49, -