NCJ Number
59602
Journal
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINAL LAW AND CRIMINOLOGY Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: (1921) Pages: 528-550
Date Published
1921
Length
23 pages
Annotation
A 1921 ARTICLE REPORTS FINDINGS OF A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF 100 MALE PRISONERS. CHARACTERISTICS OF CITY AND RURAL CRIMINALS WERE ANALYZED IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND CRIMINALS AND CAUSES OF CRIMINALITY.
Abstract
IN COMPARING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CITY AND RURAL CRIMINALS, PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES (INHERITANCE, EDUCATION, AGE, AND SEX) AND SOCIAL CAUSES (RACE, OCCUPATION, AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS) WERE EXAMINED AS INSEPARABLE INTERACTING FACTORS. THE STUDY EXAMINED 100 MALE INMATES OF AUBURN PRISON IN NEW YORK STATE. HALF WERE CLASSIFIED AS CITY (NEW YORK CITY) CRIMINALS AND HALF WERE CLASSIFIED AS RURAL CRIMINALS. ALL WERE AGED 35 OR YOUNGER. THE MEN WERE QUESTIONED ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS: PHYSICAL (ORDER OF BIRTH, RACE, AGE, WEIGHT, HABITS), INTELLECTUAL (MENTAL AGE, SCHOOLING, RELIGION). SOCIAL (FAMILY HISTORY, INDUSTRIAL, RECREATIONAL, MARITAL, AND HOME CONDITIONS), AND CRIMINAL (FAMILY HISTORY, SUBJECT'S HISTORY). OBSERVATIONS OF THE EXAMINER ALSO WERE CONSIDERED. INTERVIEW RESULTS AND OFFICIAL PRISON RECORDS WERE ANALYZED. SEVERAL STRIKING DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND BETWEEN THE RURAL AND CITY CRIMINALS. ONLY 16 PERCENT OF THE RURAL GROUP HAD FOREIGN-BORN PARENTS COMPARED TO 60 PERCENT OF THE NEW YORK CITY GROUP. THE CITY GROUP WAS 66 PERCENT CATHOLIC BUT THE COUNTRY GROUP WAS 74 PERCENT PROTESTANT. NEARLY 66 PERCENT OF ALL THE CITY CRIMINALS WERE INMATES OF A JUVENILE INSTITUTION, BUT ONLY 4 PERCENT OF THE RURAL GROUP WERE JUVENILE OFFENDERS. THE MARITAL STATE OF THE INMATES ALSO DIFFERED SHARPLY, WITH 80 PERCENT OF THE CITY GROUP BEING SINGLE CONTRASTED WITH 44 PERCENT FOR THE COUNTRY GROUP. THE DATA INDICATED THAT IN THE CITY THE HOME WAS BROKEN UP AT AN EARLIER PERIOD OF THE PRISONER'S LIFE THAN IN THE COUNTRY. THE MEDIAN MENTAL AGE OF THE TWO GROUPS WAS QUITE SIMILAR--12 YEARS AND 7 MONTHS FOR THE CITY GROUP AND 12 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS FOR THE RURAL GROUP. A COMPOSITE PICTURE OF EACH TYPE OF CRIMINAL IS DESCRIBED, INCLUDING ETHNIC BACKGROUND, SEXUAL PROCLIVITIES, AND TYPES OF CRIMES COMMITTED. NO REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED, BUT TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED.