The Washington times., 1933-03-02
Criminal
Types
BY LOUIS E. BISCH
MD. Ph.D.


Famous Authority on Health
and Psychology
Every now and again the
country is stirred to its very
depths by the perpetration of q
heinous crime. And then, Of
course-especially if the often
der has not been apprehended
-guesses are rife as to what
sort Of twisted mind could pos
sibly commit such an awful
deed.
Unfortunately, however, as
the months go by most people
relapse into their usual mood
Of complacence and both the
crime and the criminal are
practically forgotten until
and this invariably happens
another blood-curdling act Of
violence is brought to the at
tention of the public.
Although I am not trying to
prove that all criminal acts
against the person, or even all
murderouS ones, are the work
of mentally unbalanced individ-
uals, there is no gainSaying the
fact that they often are.
For surely there are scores Of
insane as well as mentally de-
fective individuals roaming
about in society who should
be confined in institutions;
and just so long as such in
dividuals, who often are poten-
TALLY antisocial at least be-
cause Of their special abnor'
mality makeup, are allowed
free rein one may confidently
expect further criminal as
Saults, even of unusual char.
acter.
Particularly is this true about
a certain type Of mental abb
normality known as Constitu-
tional PSychopathic State.
Among psychiatrists, such pa
tients are merely called Psyche
paths.
A psychopath is not insane,
nor is he feeble-minded. In
deed, he may possess intellec-
tual ability above the average.
Cases of psycopaths that were
decidedly gifted persons are on
record.
But what such a psychopath
always lacks-and this, to be
sure, is what makes him SO
dangerous-is normal and usual
emotional response.
In other words, whereas a
person with a normal emo
tional equipment responds with
gladneSS or sadness to an
occurrence or piece Of news
that should make him glad or
sad, a pSychopath may respond
in an opposite manner, or dis
play no feeling whatsoever.
The same holds true for other
emotions, such as kindness,
love, pity or tenderness, and
for such abstract concepts as
justice, honor, charity or
patriotism. And that is why
a psychopath is really capable
of committing a most atrocious
crime, and in the most calcu-
lating and cold-blooded manner
possible, without so much as a
tremor of the hand or the
quickening of heart beat.
Every pSychopath is not a
criminal, either actually or in
the making. Yet, given a psy-
chopath with criminal or re-
bellious tendencies, his intelli-
gence plus emotional made
quacieS makes for a personality
that can conceive anything, is
afraid of nothing and is abso-
lutDly without fear Of conse-
quenceS.
But strange to relate, courts
Of law do not recognize the
psychopath as such. To be
irresponsible, according to the
statute books a person must be
either insane or feeble-minded.
Therefore psychopaths are
treated as are ordinary GRIM
inals. They serve sentences;
they get time off for good be-
havior; then, sooner or later,
they are let out again, although
they are just as psycopathic
as before.
For psychopaths are incur.
able. Where criminal psyche.
paths belong, and for life, is
in properly designed institu-
tions specially devised for them.