TREATMENT OF CRIME

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 122, 25 May 1928, Page 15

TREATMENT OF CRIME

. PSYCHOLOGICAL METHODS The effect of psychology in the treatment of criminals was the text of an interesting address given by Professor T. A. Hunter at the annual meeting of the Wellington, branch, of tho New Zealand Howi ar<l League last evening. Professor Hunter said that in the past crime .Jiad been regarded from a purely moral point of view, and it had been considered necessary for the benefit of the community that certain types of action should be -repressed; But we had overlooked the fact that apart from the repression of certain types of action'we were dealing with the nature of the individual. Unless we endeavoured to find but the causes, of. these types of action we were not" treating the problem scientifically. "Tile investigation, said the speaker, must obviously not be confined to the mere act at the" moment. It may have been the1 result of a long chain of causes going right'back in the history of the individual. It was necessary therefore to try- to, find out the factors that gave rise to the lack •of balance, and the influence of environment should not be forgotten. Professor Hunter said that ho believed that a great many of the newspaper reports containing details of crime acted as an incitement to further crime. Investigations also showed that the suggestion .JMry-.jiftea^cahie,jfrflni_.the,-ciiiema. The one remedy was that of prevention, and the league should work along the lines of: (1) early diagnosis of 'cases, and (2) the development of systems of rc-cducation. "Wo must be careful that our treatment of delinquents does not weaken the influence jof the law," said the speaker. Nothing could do ■ more harm to the work of the league than extravagant claims for any particular specific or exaggerated criticisms of institutions which were visited. He looked; tp.'^the future foi< even greater progress iti'the' treatment of delinquents by scientific methods than had been made iv the last twenty-live years, particularly in taking .advantage of the application of psychology to crime and its prevention. A vote of thanks was accorded to Professor Hunter, and the hope was expressed that he would repeat the address at 'an early 'date.