HEREDITY AND CRIME,

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 167, 16 July 1924, Page 7

HEREDITY AND CRIME,

ITS UNDOUBTED INFLUENCE. SOME SHOCKING CASES. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Commission on Mental Defectives sat again to-day. Dr. D. IL. Fenwick (representing the British Medical Association), said by far the most important element in the causation of mental deficiency was heredity. This was far more important than association or environment. The most important point, therefore, was prevention of breeding mental defectives and degenerates. The chief aim was to prevent marriage or intercourse of people likely to produce mental defectives, sterilisation would prevent propagation, but not further offences of sexual degeneracy. The problem of segregation was extremely difficult, but it might be tackled in seme manner. The instruction of children in sex hygiene was entirely parental, and the British Medica.l Association was quite against instruction in the mass. Personally he thought any child under fifteen was too young to receive such instruction. Undoubtedly confirmed sexual perverts should be segregated as being a danger to the community. He believed certificates of mental and physical health should bo required of persons before marriage. Tho chief questions should relate to parentage, venereal disease, and nervous disorders. Mrs. Glover (probation officer and prison visitor for the quoted some shocking cases of heredity and its results. She did not think it would do any good to teach children collectively. Teaching should be individually, for no two cases were alike. Miss Jean Begg (Education Department) quoted the success of State institutions for feeble-minded in New York. She emphasised the great importance of the study of each individual case, and advocated the training of teachers for dealing with individual defectives, a complete census of defectives, and a travelling clinic to deal with cases. Miss Begg advocated dealing with unregulated dance halls by the institution of proper regulations and supervision. Mr. Bligh, on behalf of the New Zealand White Cross League, said he did not think there was any reason why a teacher of simple truths to promote " s ex purity of children up to the age of 12 I years should have medical training. j Tho talk should he simply on j conduct, with a plea for chivalry to older children, and a clear statement should be given by one of their own sex. The tendency on tho part of most people waa to make a mountain out of a molehill in regard to the teaching of sex purity to tho young. He held that on the whole parents were not the best people to give their children sex instruction. This concluded the work of the commission as far as the taking of formal evidence is concerned.