The prevention and repression of crime : being a report of the fifth section of the International Congress of Charities, Correction and Philanthropy, Chicago, June, 1893 / edited by Frederick H. Wines.

Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The prevention and repression of crime : being a report of the fifth section of the International Congress of Charities, Correction and Philanthropy, Chicago, June, 1893 / edited by Frederick H. Wines. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    symptoms which are often in themselves very obscure, and some- times associated with much intellectual vigor and genius, and display of great strength and weakness. The impairment or loss of the higher moral faculties, leaving the intellectual clear, is a field of much obscurity, and beyond the fact that such is the case, little is known. With this brief statement of the general facts, which seem to indi- cate the condition of organism and origin of these cases, we shall pass to a special consideration of some of the groups. First are those in which the inebriety seems more prominent than the criminality. They are seen quite frequently at inebriate asylums. Usually suffering from general exhaustion, they recover slowly, and entertain delusions amounting to delirium at times. They are very penitent during this time, and exhibit a humility and determination to reform that is almost abject. On recovery, they become sensitive, assuming and boastful, and all the low criminal tendencies come out prominently. They interfere and meddle with a malicious spirit, creating trouble everywhere; are extremely slanderous and boastful, delighting in low stories and low thoughts; complain bitterly of deprivation of their liberty ; find fault with everything ; and are changeable in dis- position and insolent beyond measure. They are untruthful to an extreme degree, and have no respect for their word or the judgment of others. They drink at all times and places, using all kinds of intrigue to accomplish this end. They will steal anything from their best friends, such as articles of clothing, furniture, and even food from their families and children to procure drink. Nothing can exceed the degradation and suffering which they relentlessly inflict on their nearest relations to gratify this one object. In an asylum they are always running away, drinking and bringing liquor for others, stealing articles for the pawnshop, and often not drinking to intoxication, but aiding others beyond that point. They are often the agents of more designing men, who take advantage of their situation when drinking to stimulate them to crime, which they are ever ready to engage in. In all situations they are continuously criminal in thought and act; and inebriates at every opportunity. After a wretched life from the station-house to the jail or prison, and the low haunts of large cities, always hunted down like btasts of the chase, they become exhausted and suicidal, either dying by their •own hands or going into the insane asylums. The second class are more prominent as crbninals than inebriates. They are cool |nd calculating, totally destitute of any moral sense.