Britain’s First Crime Clinic Opened

Northern Advocate, 26 May 1938, Page 7

Britain’s First Crime Clinic Opened

A room in which temperament will be measured with a “dotting” machine is an important feature of the new premises of the Institute for the Scientific Treatment of Delinquency, opened in Perlman Street, W., recently, the “News Chronicle” states.

Before a tiny window in the machine a spiral of circles passes with increased speed. The person being tested is told to stab'with a stylo pen at as many of the circles as he or she can.

Only one out of many hundreds tested has made a full score. A doctor attached to the institute said to the “News Chronicle”: “We cannot yet diagnose with the machine because we do not know enough, but in time we hope to make accurate measurements of temperament with it. Neurotics Score Low. “At present neurotics tend to score low, while people with a single-track mind score high by wild hitting at high speed.” In another room handwriting will be tested and from it health, nerves and character will be analysed. Specimens were displayed which showed the development of a man’s personality year by year. Three examples of Mata Hari’s handwriting disclosed how, from being a normal woman, she gradually assumed the character of a “grandscale” spy. Among other handwritings .shown were those of Ivar Kreuger, the match king, and Van der Lubbe, of the Reichstag fire trial.

Patients on the borderline of crime will be sent to the institute from all parts of the country by judges, magistrates, social workers and, doctors for examination and treatment.

Offenders of Many Patterns.

Opening the institute, Lord Roche, formerly Lord of Appeal-in-Ordinary, referred to the controversy over the question whether sentences should be unpleasant and painful or milder and more persuasive.

“The truth as I see it,” he said, “is that crime and criminals are not uniform and of one pattern. On the contrary, the categories are numerous and shade into one another. “At one end of the scale is the person who offends against the law from a weakness or infirmity which may be remedied or cured.

“At the other end is the person who has determined to live by preying upon society.

“To act upon one theory or adopt the same practice in dealing with these extremes seems to me, I confess, to be not merely unwise but to be even ridiculous. “The first function of the institute is to enable we • who- administer the law to determine with more certainty than we are no wable to do into which of the categories lying between these manifest extremes a convicted person is properly to be placed. Judge’s Responsibility. “This institute does not seek to decide' upon or dictate what treatment or sentence a person should receive. It is here to be consulted, to diagnose and, if requested, to treat an offender. “Responsibility for sentence or abstention from sentence is left where it should rest—with the judge or magistrate.

“I hope and believe that judicial persons will more often seek the aid to right judgment that such an institute can, in appropriate cases, afford. ’