THE INFLUENCES OF NURTUKE 111 



a few lines a vast subject like criminology — a large 

 section of social pathology — but we venture to invite 

 attention to the thesis to which so many careful investi- 

 gations point, that there are more crimes than criminals. 

 That is to say, crime is more frequently the result of 

 external influences — especially economic and poHtical 

 conditions — than the expression of a definitely criminal 

 nature. In support of this thesis we may refer, for 

 instance, to the learned work of Dr. W. A. Bonger, 

 Criminality and Economic Conditions, the conclusion of 

 which is that the preponderant, if not the decisive, 

 cause of criminality is to be found in economic conditions. 

 If this conclusion be true, it follows that there is need 

 for further changes — much has been done — in our treat- 

 ment of criminals. There is much reason to doubt 

 whether our present system of punishing certain kinds 

 of crime, such as theft and public drunkenness, has any 

 beneficial effect on either prisoner or on society. The 

 punishment tends to distract attention from the social 

 causes of the crime and tends to make the criminal. 

 That, at any rate, is one side of the case, in which 

 there is much truth. 



On the other side there is the position of criminologists 

 like Lombroso and Ferri, who have emphasised the 

 reality of the criminal type. It is the contrast between 

 ' nature ' and ' nurture ' again, and the truth lies between 

 the two extreme positions — that which lays all the 

 blame on environment and that which lays all the blame 

 on the individual. Criticism has seriously damaged 

 the validity of Lombroso's thoroughly criminal type with 



