New Britain herald., 1924-10-24
GRANDMA MIGHT BE
 WILD WOMAN TODAY
Noted PenOlOSiSt Gives Views to
 State WOmen'S Clubs

UlulV HVilVI Uluuo
 That our own great grandparents, if set down suddenly in the world | of today, might be classified as criminals, was suggested by Dr. Katherine Bemont Davis of New ork in her address at the mid-ycar meeting of the Connecticut Fedora ton of Womcn's clubs held in the chapel of the First Congregational church yesterday afternoon. She | said that crime was now becoming generally considered as q matter of poor adjustment to circumstances and that social students had come to realize how little difference there was between normal and abnormal people, except that so-called nor mal' people were better able to ad- just themselves 10 the circumstances in which they found themselves.
 Our ancestors, she declared, would be unable to do this, and so would bo classcd as abnormal or even criminal. The old village fool' was quite often harmless to both self and others while in the village, but if put down in the city he would have been q criminal. Dr. Davis also cited the case Of the negroes from the southern agricul- tGral fields who have been pouring into New York city. They are un- able to adjust themselves and are easily led from the right path.
 Dr. Davis is q penologist of in ternational repute. She was for Is years the superintendent of the state reform school for women at Bedford Hills, N. r., for two years on the commission of correction, and for two years chairman of the parole commission in New York state.
 absurditics of Legal Code
 A legalistic conception of crime leads to many absurdities, she claimed, and she pointed out several or them. The difference between petty larceny and grand larceny in | New York state used to be a mere matter of a few cents, any amount over s25 being grand larceny and any sum under being petty. When the cost of living went up, however. the Jurists decided that a criminal was entitled to little more leevav so that now man can steal un to $eo and not be charged with the state prison offense of grand larceny. Dr' Davis said that a man stealing a pocketbook didn't look at the con tents before he did it, so that there was no difference in the seriousness ol the crime whether the wallet con tained $49'99 or s15.02. She also said that petty crimes in davlipht become grand larceny after dark another abSurdity.
 The softening terminoIogv in dea1- | Ing with crime was remarked unon Dy Dr. Davis. Formerly all wrong aoers were called criminals" then 'he less harsh term of "delinouent" was applied, and now they are being called "unadjusted." Concrete evid- ence Of this is furnished by the changing character of institutions. Men, women and children were once thrown all together into prisons Ihen came the house of refuge and then, with the realization that crim- lnal tendencies might be corrected the retormatory. Next came the state farm and now the last stigma mas been removed by dropping the
 state and calling the institution bv a pleasanter name which carries no hint of any prison character. Un- graded classes for backward chil- dren are now helping to check wrong tendencies, while sociologists are even catching children before they are born by means of prenatal in- fuences, but Dr. Davis ventured the belief that there are many who can never be totally adjusted, no matter how young the authorities look after them.
 Women below the average in in- tellect were stressed as a dangerous class of delinquents; they have the brains of children seven years old and she declared they should no more be left to themselves than the children, as they are no more able to plan their life. They are able to take orders, however, and if pro- perly directed and watched over can be kept on the right track. Many of these women are particularly dan gerous because they are personally attractive. Their combined good looks and low mentality make them prey to vice. and judges are seldom able to understand their true char acter.
 She cited one case In which an at- tractive young woman was brought before the judge after she had had several unfortunate experiences. De- spite the evidence Of her unf1tness brought out by expert criminologists the judge contented himself with ask. ing her name. the day Of the week, and other questions which a child could have answered, and then le' her go, saying, "She is no moron" Another judge thought all such 3 girl needed was country life, 50 he took ur collection of $175 and turned the mental defective loose to have good time. recommending that she 20 to the country.
 Another class Of delinquents i'
 made up of the women not vel enough trained 10 like their work for pr. Davis said that nobody lik cd 10 do what he or she could no'