520 RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1887 AND 1888 



In everyone of the journals devoted to the subject at large sociolog- 

 ical papers are published. Furthermore, the great English quarterlies, 

 the North American Eeview, the Forum, even the monthlies, weeklies, 

 and dailies, are witness of the absorption of the public mind in this de- 

 partment of anthropology. 



Like every other investigation, the attempt to study crime in a scien- 

 tific manner began with crude and false methods. For Instance, the 

 comparison of states or nations bajsed on arrests led to a positively in- 

 verted result; because in highly organized communities a great many 

 acts are considered to be criminal that are not noticed in worse com- 

 munities. Even ill the case of prison statistics, General Walker says, 

 "The number of persons in prison on a given date attbrds a very delu- 

 sive measure of the comparative morality of diflterent sections of the 

 country having different codes of laws and different social standards. 

 For instance, a very large part of the persons who are at any time in 

 l)risons and jails in the State of Massachusetts, are there for drunken- 

 ness or for the illegal sale of liquors. In another State, the man who 

 sells liquor is a public benefactor. So far, then, the paucity of prison 

 lists simply represents the toleration of vice, if not of crime." 



The Italian criminologists were not slow to notice this and apply the 

 facts in rectifying deductions about heredity, atavism, primitive man, 

 and the descent of man, based on the anthropometry of arrested per- 

 sons and convicts in general. If a good but poor man die in a debtor's 

 prison one would scarcely look for the promise of his misfortune in his 

 cranium. Even deductions based on special crimes, as theft or murder, 

 must not omit the history of the man on account of the times, the va- 

 rious external stimuli that have helped, perhaps forced, against his 

 will, the man to the action. This subject has been thought worthy of 

 a special world's convention, which has published Actes du I congres 

 Internationale d'anthropologie criminelle in Rome, November, 1885, 

 and issued in Turin in 1887. The following mentioned works will also 

 help to the public interest and the variety of treatment which the sub- 

 ject has elicited. 



Human criminality from the point of view of comparative anatomy : 

 Paul Albrecht. Atlas of criminality, the new anthropometry and 

 criminality, and bibliographic penitentiaire of different countries since 

 the beginning of the century : Luigi Anfosso. Criminal anthropology 

 in Corsica : A. Bournet. Deger eration and criminality : Cli. Fere. 

 The thieves' oracle in Java: G. Beyfuss. Thermometric variations and 

 criminality : E. Ferri. The external ear,a study in criminal anthropology : 

 L. Frigerio. Anomaly of the criminal : R. Garofalo, Criminal anthro- 

 pology : S. Gache. The penal code and frenopathology : J. Gine y 

 Partagas. Corporeal and mental peculiarities of criminals : von Hin- 

 der. Crime — a social study : Henri Joly. Criminal anthropology and 

 punishment : H. Kurella. The criminal in his anthropological, medical, 

 andjudicial relations: CesareLombroso. Thecharactersof delinquents: 



