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Editorial
July 24, 1925
Imperial Valley Press
El Centro, Imperial County, California
What is this article about?
Editorial based on Wickersham committee findings criticizes U.S. penal system for recycling mentally defective repeat offenders without addressing their minds, advocating focus on treatment over punishment to reduce crime.
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THE CRIMINAL CIRCLE
An investigating committee headed by former Attorney General Wickersham finds that American penal institutions are "handling the same material over and over again, locking up and turning out the same individuals." Also that three-fourths of those individuals are plainly recognizable cases of abnormal and defective minds.
Most of the prisoners, therefore, are not helped at all by the present system of imprisoning their bodies and ignoring their minds, and while they remain as they are, can hardly help committing further offenses when they are released. Their crimes and misdemeanors are mostly offenses of stupidity and mental sickness.
There has been little sympathy these last few years with any view which regarded our "criminal classes" as sick rather than wicked. Efforts to turn public attention to their minds rather than their crimes are likely to be criticised as efforts to "coddle criminals." Yet evidence submitted by such an eminent body of inquiries as the committee referred to cannot be ignored.
The New York World wonders, accordingly, whether it isn't time to get our minds off "crime" and turn our attention to "the criminal," and adds: "If most crime is traceable to pathological impulses, then applying retributive punishment is as sensible as flogging lunatics to drive the devils out."
Perhaps there are devils that will have to be driven out of the public mind before society becomes really civilized.
An investigating committee headed by former Attorney General Wickersham finds that American penal institutions are "handling the same material over and over again, locking up and turning out the same individuals." Also that three-fourths of those individuals are plainly recognizable cases of abnormal and defective minds.
Most of the prisoners, therefore, are not helped at all by the present system of imprisoning their bodies and ignoring their minds, and while they remain as they are, can hardly help committing further offenses when they are released. Their crimes and misdemeanors are mostly offenses of stupidity and mental sickness.
There has been little sympathy these last few years with any view which regarded our "criminal classes" as sick rather than wicked. Efforts to turn public attention to their minds rather than their crimes are likely to be criticised as efforts to "coddle criminals." Yet evidence submitted by such an eminent body of inquiries as the committee referred to cannot be ignored.
The New York World wonders, accordingly, whether it isn't time to get our minds off "crime" and turn our attention to "the criminal," and adds: "If most crime is traceable to pathological impulses, then applying retributive punishment is as sensible as flogging lunatics to drive the devils out."
Perhaps there are devils that will have to be driven out of the public mind before society becomes really civilized.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime Or Punishment
Social Reform
What keywords are associated?
Penal Reform
Mental Defect
Repeat Offenders
Wickersham Committee
Criminal Treatment
Pathological Crime
What entities or persons were involved?
Wickersham Committee
New York World
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Reform Of Penal System For Mentally Defective Offenders
Stance / Tone
Advocating Mental Health Treatment Over Punitive Imprisonment
Key Figures
Wickersham Committee
New York World
Key Arguments
Penal Institutions Recycle The Same Mentally Defective Individuals
Three Fourths Of Prisoners Have Abnormal And Defective Minds
Imprisonment Ignores Minds And Fails To Prevent Reoffending
Crimes Stem From Stupidity And Mental Sickness, Not Wickedness
Evidence From Eminent Committee Cannot Be Ignored
Shift Focus From Crime To The Criminal's Pathology
Retributive Punishment Is Futile For Pathological Impulses