Evening star., 1934-10-01
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

A psychological picture of the
criminal-particularly as regards his
variation from the normaJ-is being
drawn by Public Health Service doc
tors in charge of the hospital of the
new Federal Penitentiary at Lewis
burg, Pa
More than 800 prisoners have been
examined to date, it is reported by
DR.. M. J. 2escor of the Public Health
Service staff, on the basis of per-
sonality test devised by Prof. r. S.
Woodwork of Columbia University
1t consists of questions designed to
bring out psychoneurotic tendencies,
pertinent points of the patients
family history, past medical record,
childhood environment and reactions
to early experiences.
The results show some curious
variations of the criminal from the
average of the population at large
He is more inclined to worry. He has
poorly developed sense Of humor
He is more likely to complain of bod
lily pain which has little or no Or
ganic basis, particularly in the sides
and back. He is likely to give his
tory of juvenile incorrigibility, espe-
cially running away from home when
a boy He has frequent changes of
interest. indicative of instability. He
is likely to be irritable, complains of
his eyes, is intolerant of pain or the
sight of blood, and usually Is inclined
to blame drinking for his troubles
Otherwise the responses to the test
are about those of the average man,
One of the questions concerns the
ability to tolerate offensive odors. The
man of fairly stable character is sup
posed to be able to endure foul smells,
however unpleasant the experience
may be- The part of the brain con-
cerned with the reception of smell
stimuli is very primitive and, in the
human race, has gradually lost its
sensitivity and importance. Extreme
keenness of smell and responsiveness
to it may be indicative of throw
back to some more primitive period
of human development.
BY far the larger number of wrong"
answers were to this question. Few OF
the prisoners could endure bad odor,
but the significance of this as a
diagnostic sign disappeared when 1t
was found that many purposely had
given a false answer for fear they
might be placed on the prison garbage
detail.
Surprisingly few of the Federal pris-
oners were found to be definitely psy-
choneurotic. Previous applications OF
the same test in large State prison
had shown that nearly Is per cent OF
the men were mentally abnormal. Here
only S per cent showed sufficient varia-
ton from the normal to be considered
proper subjects for the psychiatrist.
The possibility is pointed out in the
report that the psychoneurotic condi-
tions found previously may have arisen
from the restraints of prison life it
self and would not be so likely to make
their appearance in an institution such
as Lewisburg, where many OF the
harsher aspects of prison life have been
eliminated. There is also the possibility
that a saner sort Of men get into the
clutches of the Federal officers.
The report gives no data on those
prisoners who never have passed
LIlIOuSI IIlc llOokllsdls AAlC AAiSAASdeAoAAo
are. however, that they would be much
nearer normal, since the unstable per-
sonality is much more likely to COM
plain of sickness and to simulate, per-
haps unconsciously, symptoms that
may deceive the prison doctors.
The emotionally unstable group,
DR.. Pescor points out, included fewer
individuals with>a good physical rat
ing, more minor physical ailments,
more with history of chronic alco-
holism and tendency to be repeat
ers" in crime, and more with history
of home life disrupted before the age
of l6 by the separation or death of
parents. This group averaged an inch
less in stature and more than seven
pounds less in weight than the stable
group of prisoners. They were less
able to make satisfactory adjust
ment in prison and were most often
up for disciplinary action.
DR.. Pescor notes they were dis
missed five times more often merely
with reprimands than the prisoners
who showed little personality devia-
ton from the average. Apparently
the prison authorities recognize they
are not quite "all there" and are
lenient with them.
This test, it is pointed out, may