THE PSYCHOPATH

Evening Star, Issue 19763, 13 January 1928, Page 8

THE PSYCHOPATH

MENACE TO SOCIETY EMOTIONAL HUMAN MISFITS. The “psychopath," vaguely described as a “ queer gu frequently fa conflict, aud who does uot fit, even in the best circumstances,” was characterised by psychiatrists at a meeting of the New York State Grime Commission, as one of the greatest crime problems, particularly in view of the fact that no provision exists in law for society's protectiou from his " emotional outbursts.” The " psychopath,” the experts told the Commission, was neither feeble-minded nor insane, but often seemed to feel that people were against him, and also desired newspaper notoriety above all else. He it was, they said, who committed hold-ups and other spectacular crimes likely to be described on the first pages of newspapers, aud who often became the “ repeater.” Being neither insane nor feeble-minded, be roamed at large and in great numbers, he speakers declared, and might be found “even among our acquaintances.’’ Dr C. Floyd Haviland, superintendent of Manhattan State Hospital on Ward's Island, came out more strongly against the “ psychopath ’’ than any of the others when he said : “He is the cause of most of the trouble in the world. He never fits in the best circumstances. He is in all anti-social groups, and we can’t deal with him, properly until we have an institution for him. Ho is the crime repeated. The criminal psychopath should be committed to a separate institution, and not released on parole unless a (borough psychiatric examination showed there would be no danger to the community in such action.” Dr Haviland said that psychiatric service in the schools was the most important subject mentioned at the hearing, and that only 50 per cent, of the children in New York who should be in the "ungraded classes” were now in them. -