Evening star., 1934-12-02
PRISONER SURVEY
REVEALS I TYPES
Officials Report Majority
Can Be Dealt With in
Routine Way.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

BY THOMAS r. HENRY.
Seven or eight curious personality
types" found among the country's
criminal population-all of which
afford special problems-are described
from studies of the Public Health
Service in Federal penitentiaries.
The studies reported were made by
Warden F. G. Zerbst of the Leaven-
worth Penitentiary and Acting Assis-
tant Surgeon D. E. Singleton of the
Public Health Service.
These types are designated as re
action types" differing from the nor
NAL and yet not over the border!ine
where they could be called insane.
The great percentage of the prison
population, Warden Zerbst and DR..
Singleton point out in their report
just issued by the Public Health Serv-
ice, are normal and can be dealt with
in a more or less routine fashion.
These even include the So-called re
cidivists," the perpetual offenders who
are no sooner out of one jail than
they are In another and the mechan
ism of whose personality is a mystery
to psychiatrists. Their long Jail ex-
perience has taught them that the
easiest way to get along is to obey
rules. and they always seek the easiest
way.
In Jail Through Accident.
The majority of men in jails. any
way. it is stressed. are there largely
through unfortunate accident, rather
than through any intelligent anti
social conduct. They are known as
the minimum custody group, capable
Of trust and of filling responsible posi-
tons
This leaves a small residue with
whom the ordinary rules don't work,
Efforts to discipline them into form
only make them worse than ever. AS
classified in the report they are:
The vicious mental defective, able
to tell right from wrong, but unable to
profit by experience. profuse of prom
ises, but with a short memory, who
is almost sure repeatedly to violate
rules. No way is suggested of deal
ing with him.
The docile mental defective about
whom there is nothing malevolent, but
who can't resist a suggestion from
some other criminal TO break rules.
He can usually be trained to monot-
onous routine and behaves well
enough so long as he is kept from
bad associations.
Inferior Group.
The constitutional psychopa thic in
ferior group. which provides the
greatest problem of all.
The abnormal conditions imposed
by prison life tend to place an unusual
tension on this type Of person" says
the report. In civil life such man
had devised numerous ways in which
he could escape from the pain of
mental conflict. or condition incom-
patible with his personality. AS a
class, these individuals overcompen-
safe for their shortcomings. Their
boastful attitudes and egotiSm are
well known. Because of the highly
repressed environment they are un-
able to escape the mental conflicts
and intolerable situations that arise
and mental disturbances may break
forth in many ways from minor in
l
unprovoked attack upon a guard or
other inmate.
Fortunately. there is usually some
warning of such an outbreak. They
may become dissatisfied with their
work. restless, ask for frequent inter-
views about minor details, appear fire.
Quently in the sick line with vague
complaints, and grumble about the
food disqualification for few days,
until the symptoms pass, has proved
quite effective
"Extroverted Psychopaths."
The fourth type listed are the "ex-
troverted constitutional pyschopaths.
These are men who cannot stand be-
ing cut off from their associations with
other people. They are extremely
overactive. are often instigators of
petty complaints. write lengthy let
ters to officials, and are active in
organizing recreational activities.
When isolated for discipline they US
ally suffer mental breakdoWns and
have to be taken to the prison hos
ptal.
The fifth type listed is the sneak
Ing introvert," who tries to get what
he wants through trickery. They are
often cunning, keep themselves in
the background and egg on the less
intelligent to carry out their schemes.
When interviewed they are clever in
covering up their deeds. Others usu-
ally take the punishment they deserve
The paranoid is the sixth type. He
Is the fellow who always insists he is
being Disseminated against, having
arrived at this conclusion through
process of naturalization to get away
from disagreeable job. He is never
willing to accept the blame for his
misconduct. Punishment only makes
him more bitter because he believes,
honestly enough. that it is only ad-
ditional persecution.
Must Be Isolated.
The seventh type is that of the
"fear-reacting individual" He is de-
scribed as the fellow who will fire.
quently appear before some officer
usually very much excited. stating
that one or more inmates are threat
ening him bodily harm. The idea
may be real or imaginary, but in
either case it is very real to the man
himself. Real or fancied. the effect
Is the same. This individual even
tually will break down under the
strain. The only recourse is isolation :"
BY studying the reaction types of
criminals in the Federal prisons the
Public Health Service doctors hope
to arrive at some clearer understand
Ing of the psychological mechanism
which precipitate persons into lives
Of crime.