Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

REFORM OF JUVENILE CRIMINALS.

By ARTHUR MACDONALD, Washington, D. C.

Honorary President of the "Third International Congress of Criminal Anthropology," of Europe.

The best methods of reforming young criminals are more or less a matter of opinion. For the causes of crime have not been sufficiently determined, so that remedies may have an adequate application.

To treat a disease, without knowing its cause definitely, may be the best that criminology can do at present.

As in physical so in social disease, the individual subjects must be studied, if the real causes of crime are to be found. Such professional and scientific investigation is the only path to the root of the matter. But such study has barely commenced in our country. Not merely the punishment of crime, after it has been committed, but, as Pestalozzi says, the education of man to do good and the killing of the cause of crime, are what will protect the community.

VALUE OF SAVING ONE CHILD.

Every child kept from being a criminal wins for the State a good citizen, but every child becoming a criminal through the State's neglect of conditions leading to crime, is a vicious parasite, and whether free or in prison, feeds upon the people. The preventing of one child from going wrong may save the State the cost of some notorious criminal trial, and protect the community from reading the details of the life and acts of some moral degenerate or pervert, tending to make him a hero rather than a culprit.

SIN OF MODERN TIMES.

Any description of a crime, that tends to palliate it or make it interesting, or associate it with dignity or respectability so that the resultant impression is one of interest in, or acquiescence in or condoning the evil, is the great sin of the press, stage, and literature of modern times. Such publications are a positive evil to society, on account of the law of imitation; and, in addition, make the criminal proud of his record, and also develop the morbid curiosity of the people. It is especially the

mentally and morally weak who are affected. But any description of crime, that makes you detest the crime, is moral in its effect, even though it involve objectionable details.

CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE LEFT TO THEMSELVES. Prevention of crime concerns the care of the young, and especially those who are criminals, vagabonds, paupers, homeless, or without proper home, or in any way neglected by being left to themselves. The child is not master of itself, but its enviroment controls it. Perhaps in as many as nine cases out of ten, the child will be what its surroundings tend to make it. TWO CLASSES IN MORAL DANGER.

There are two classes of children in moral danger (1) those who can be saved by ordinary pedagogic means, and (2) those who have need of some special method of reformation.

There are some children, who without being disposed to do evil, are led astray by their enviroment, sometimes it is bad companionship, sometimes their own parents force them into vice and crime.

SIGNS SUGGESTING VICIOUSNESS.

There are other children who seem to be vicious by nature. These often present a characteristic appearance. There is a certain animality in the face, the eyes are without expression, the forehead is low or depressed, the jaws are very large, the edges of the ears are rough, the ears extend out prominently from the head. Sometimes the complexion has an unhealthy color. Such children may be too large or too small for their age; or they may appear older or younger than they are. Some do not look you straight in the face, but have a stealthy, oblique or variable glance. Some stutter, hesitate or become confused. These defects are only signs and of course do not necessarily mean the existence in the person of the things signified. They mean that such individuals will at least bear observation.

CYNICAL CHILDREN.

There are children who advertise their corruption, treating with effrontery whoever interrogates them, laughing at the questions, manifesting cynical pride and glorifying themselves. One learns to know the hypocrites and sneaks who cry with

"Man and Abnormal Man" (by writer) Senate Document No. 187, 58th Congress, 3rd Session, including a study of children, in connection with bills to establish laboratories under city, state and federal governments in the study of the criminal, pauper, and defective classes, with bibliographies.

This document may be obtained on application to any United States Senator or Representative.

effort and protest their innocence, without appearing too desirous of escaping justice. It is easier to recognize the true character in children from 10 to 16, than in those younger.

SIGNS, SUGGESTION, SINCERITY.

A clear voice, open toned, well pitched, even under strong emotion, is a good sign. If the look is direct, a little elevated, if the eyes are directed straight at you, if the mouth has no contraction, if the arms, hands and legs are in a state of repose, these are signs of a sincere nature, but only signs.

It is important to distinguish whether a child is bad by nature or whether its badness comes from its enviroment. A child might commit several serious crimes, being lead astray by its surroundings, and yet not be bad by nature, especially, if at the time, it did not recognize the gravity of the crime, but later regretted it. Such a child should never be placed in company with a child, who to all appearances, is bad at heart.

CASES OF IMPROVEMENT OR REFORM.

In order that the reader may study the cases1 for himself, those where the treatment was successful, are first given, and then follow cases where reform proved impossible.

IMPROVEMENT THROUGH ENGLISH REFORMATORIES.

The reformatories and industrial schools of Great Britain have improved three-fourths of their inmates as the following table indicates.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][subsumed][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Her father was

Two CASES WITH HEREDITARY TAINT. Girl, 13. She was thirteen years of age. 1Selected from special investigations.

%

sober man.

She

nervous and also had an affection of the heart, but he was a Her mother was very nervous, subject to hysterical attacks. One brother died of croup, another of meningitis. She was of average height, sallow complexion, black eyes, dark brown hair, had narrow and receding forehead, ears well formed, but a little large. She knew how to read and write, but had no taste for study. She did not like to sew. was a coquette, dressed with much care and was cleanly. But she was giddy and hairbrained; she talked constantly, incoherently and without sense. At times she was unconscious of what she said. She was very affectionate towards her parents and while she liked her brother and sister, she struck them often.

Good training would help this child sufficiently to live propperly in the community.

Boy, II. The boy was eleven years of age; he had a flat forehead and nose; his ears were almost without lobes. He was very limited in intelligence and could barely read and write; was filthy in speech and so violent and dangerous that he needed close watching at school.

His brother was insane and his father was an alcoholic and had served several times in prison for violent assaults. Much might be done to help this boy, but not without taking him away from his surroundings.

IMPROVED BY REFORMATORY.

Age, 12 years; length of head 179 m.m., width 160 m.m., circumference of chest 69 c.m., height 137 c.m., sitting height 70.5 c.m., arm reach 141 c.m.

At the right corner of the mouth was a linear cicatrix 2 c.m. long, prolonging the line of the mouth.

Nothing was known as to antecedents. The family were day laborers, living in an industrial village; their morality was doubtful; they allowed their children to be vagabonds and thieves. Arrested, the boy was acquitted and put under the charge of public charity. This boy had contracted bad habits, which were so deeply rooted, that he could not be sent to a family. He was sent to a reformatory. After two years here his conduct was modified sufficiently to be given employment outside of the institution.

REFORMED BOY TWO YEARS LIFE IN REFORMATORY. Boy, age 15, orphan; length of head 180 m.m., width 156 m.m., circumference of chest 74 c.m., height 143 c.m., sitting height 71 c.m., arm reach 146 c.m.

2When the arm reach is greater than the height, it is generally regarded as a defect.

This boy was very healthy, he had been to school and knew how to read and write. He was brought up by his aged and feeble grandfather who lived in a section where prowlers were numerous, intractable and brutal in disposition.

This boy was taken from these unhealthy surroundings and sent to a school for correction, where his bad tendencies were put under control in two years.

SAVED BY REFORMATORY.

Boy, age 15 years, orphan; length of head 181 m.m., width 168 m.m., circumference of chest 73 c.m., height 151.5 c.m., sitting height 76.1 c.m., arm reach 150 c.m.

The boy had good health. He was educated by an uncle. He could read and write, was somewhat pretentious. He was placed in domestic service, but he soon began to steal, justifying it by a most revolting cynicism. His moral sense seemed false; it was necessary to keep him from temptation, and to attempt to set his conscience aright. He was sent to a reformatory where he could make preparation to enter the army, otherwise he might be likely to fall back into crime.

TWO VAGABONDS REFORMED BY FAMILY MOUNTAIN LIFE. These were two brothers seven and ten years of age.

Boy 1. Father dead; length of head 164 m.m., width 145 m.m., sitting height 55 c.m., height 107 c.m., arm reach 102 c.m.; thin lips, pointed chin.

Boy 2. Length of head 175 m.m., width 150 m.m., sitting height 68 c.m., height 124 c.m., arm reach 120 c.m.; slight scar on left eyebrow.

These two boys were healthy and vigorous, presenting no defect of hearing, seeing or speaking, no anatomical stigmata. Nothing could be found as to their antecedents, except that the mother had rickets, stuttered and was very limited in intelligence, leading a haphazard life, making her children beg.

These children never went to school; but were very active as vagabonds in several communities, where they were a pest, sleeping in barns. They would pass by food and fruit, but would steal a watch or other object of value. Finally they were arrested and imprisoned. A committee of a local charitable society, intervened and had these boys taken out of custody and put under the care of a good man. But they escaped and continued their voyage home, a distance of 30 miles. They were arrested the next day while in the act of stealing.

When the younger one was questioned as to his acts, he looked at his brother and at the questioner, raising his shoulders a little with a sense of superiority and pity. What shall be done with these boys who intend to live as they please.

« ForrigeFortsæt »