f criminology in general.

This becomes at once apparent, if we accept the contention of many
authorities that the degenerative soil which makes the development of
these psychoses possible, is likewise responsible for the criminality of
these individuals; in other words,--if we agree that crime and psychosis
are here branches of the same tree. Manifestly any discussion of the
treatment of these psychoses must of necessity touch upon the vastly
broader problem of the treatment of the habitual criminal, the
recidivist, and therefore a slight digression from the subject at hand
will be unavoidable.

If we admit that it is the prison environment which serves to bring out
the prison psychosis, it is perfectly evident that the first therapeutic
indication is the removal of the prisoner from that environment as soon
as the disorder is recognized. This problem is at present dealt with in
several ways. There are certain penal institutions, especially in
Europe, which have within their walls a psychiatric department for the
reception of these cases. Others send their insane convicts to the
criminal department of some hospital for the insane. In this country
there are States in which still a third system is in vogue, namely, the
confinement of these cases in special hospitals for insane criminals.
Now the points to be kept in mind in the treatment of the insane
criminal are, briefly stated, these:--First, they should of course come
under the supervision of a trained psychiatrist. Second, the transfer
from prison to hospital must take place with as little delay as possible
and not be burdened with a lot of red-tape procedures. Third, the
hospitals for the housing of these patients must be fully equipped in
accordance with the modern ideas of hospital construction, and at the
same time afford ample security for the prevention of escapes. Fourth,
the interest of the inmates of the general hospital for the insane and
the feelings of their friends and relatives must be kept in mind, when
we begin to advocate the populating of our hospitals for the insane with
criminal characters.

The psychiatric annex in connection with the penal institution meets all
these requirements better than any arrangement for the care of the
insane criminal. An annex of say fifty beds, in connection with every
State Penitentiary would obviate entirely the delay in transferring a
patient from prison to hospital and _vice versa_. As soon as a prisoner
begins