Cason, Hulsey

Pescor, M. J.

English

Northwestern University Illinois, School of Law: Scholarly Commons

Journal of Criminal Law and CriminologyVolume 37 | Issue 3 Article 51946A Comparative Study of Recidivists and Non-Recidivists among Psychopathic Federal OffendersHulsey CasonM. J. PescorFollow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/jclcPart of the Criminal Law Commons, Criminology Commons, and the Criminology and CriminalJustice CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by Northwestern University School of Law Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted forinclusion in Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology by an authorized editor of Northwestern University School of Law Scholarly Commons.Recommended CitationHulsey Cason, M. J. Pescor, A Comparative Study of Recidivists and Non-Recidivists among Psychopathic Federal Offenders, 37 J.Crim. L. & Criminology 236 (1946-1947)A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RECIDIVISTS ANDNON-RECIDiVSTS AMONG PSYCHOPATHICFEDERAL OFFENDERSHulsey Cason and K. J. PescorHulsey Cason is a well-known psychologist who has published nu-merous articles in his chosen field. Currently he is devoting his fulltime to research work on psychopaths at the Medical Center for FederalPrisoners.M. J. Pescor is Warden and Chief Medical Officer at the MedicalCenter for Federal Prisoners. He has written a number of articlesdealing with delinquency and drug addiction.This report is based on the clinical records of 286. malepsychopathic federal offenders admitted to and later dischargedfrom the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners at Springfield,Missouri. All were received by transfer from other federalpenal and correctional institutions. Twenty-five per cent werereleased from the Medical Center in 1940 and 1941, 88 percent during 1942, and 37 per'cent during 1943. Thus in 1945all had been out at least one year and some over four years.On the basis of Federal Bureau of Investigation reports, as ofthe first six months of 1945, 42 per cent of the subjects hadbecome recidivists, that is, either had served time or were serv-ing time in city, county, state, or federal penal institutions sub-sequent to release from the Medical Center. On the other hand,58 per cent were still presumably out of trouble. The recidi-vists and non-recidivists were then compared for-various factorsin an effort to find differential criteria. Schrek's nomogramwas used in testing for the statistical significance of percentagedifferences between the two groups.'The RecidivistIn the order of statistical significance the following factorswere found to have some value in distinguishing a recidivistfrom a non-recidivist:1. While at Medical Center was serving a sentence for violationof the National Motor Vehicle Theft Act.2. History of previous commitments to all types of penal and cor-rectional institutions including juvenile.8. While at Medical Center placed in punitive segregation forviolation of institutional rules.4. Upon release from Medical Center given a poor prognosis forsocial rehabilitation.5. While at Medical Center was not assigned to work.6. Principal antisocial activity, offenses against property.7. While at Medical Center made a poor dormitory adjustment.8. Had never married.1 Schrek, Robert. A nomogram for determining the statistical sig-nificance of the probable error of differences of percentages. J. Lab. &Clin. Med., 25:2, 180-184, November, 1989.236FEDERAL OFFENDERS9. Residence in one of the Central States.10. Had no children.11. Arrested for the first time when less than 13 years of age.12. Parents separated or divorced before the subject reached theage of 18.13. Subject the youngest child in the family.14. History of four commitments with sentences of over one year.15. History of nervous breakdown, unspecified, among blood rela-tives.16. While at Medical Center reported for insolence.The Non-RecidivistIn the order of statistical significance the following factorswere found to have some value in differentiating a non-recidi-vist from a recidivist:1. History of only one commitment with a sentence of over oneIyear, in other words, a first offender.2. No adverse behavior reports while at the Medical Center.3. Good dormitory adjustment at the Medical Center.4. No disciplinary action taken for violation of institutional ruleswhile at Medical Center.5. Parental home intact up to the age of 18.6. Given a fair prognosis for social rehabilitation upon releasefrom the Medical Center.7. Made a good work adjustment while at the Medical Center.8. Not subjected to punitive segregation fbr violation of institu-tional rules while at the Medical Center.9. No history of commitments with sentences of one year or less.10. Committed to adult penal institution after first arrest.11. Inmate of adult penal institutions only.12. Obedient and well-behaved as a .child.13. While at Medical Center was serving a sentence for some of-fense other than violation of the National Motor Vehicle TheftAct.14. Made a satisfactory work adjustment while at the Medical Cen-ter.15. Married, congenial relationships.16. History of alcoholism.17. Principal antisocial activity, violation of liquor laws.18. While at Medical Center employed in the industries.19. Childhood residence in a' town of less than 5,000 population.20. Clerical or sales occupation.21. Member of non-white race.22. History of homosexuality in the feminine or passive role.23. Ignorance of the law or intoxication given as the excuse forcommitting crime.24. Has one child.25. Served 49 to 61 months on the last sentence.The findings are more or less what one would expect. Thefirst offender who makes a good institutional adjustment, whohas normal family ties, and who has a wife and child to comehome to is a good prospect for social rehabilitation. On theother hand, the individual with a long criminal record datingHULSEY CASON AND M. J. PESCORback to childhood, who has been an inmate of both juvenileand adult penal and correctional institutions, who has made'apoor institutional adjustment, whose parental home was dis-rupted, and who has no wife or children of his own is a poorprospect for social rehabilitation, especially if, in addition tothe above factors, he is also a car thief.Some statistical "jokers" appear in the results. For instancea history of alcoholism turns up as a favorable factor. Perhaps,the explanation is that alcoholism may have contributed to thedelinquency of the individual in the past. Continued absti-nence from alcohol after release removed this impediment tosocial adjustment, hence the better showing of the individualwith an alcoholic history. Or it might be that the alcoholictakes out his resentment against society by getting drunk ratherthan committing some aggressive antisocial act which lands himback in jail. Passive homosexuality also appears as a favorablefactor. The feminine type of sexual invert generally confineshis asocial tendencies to unnatural sexual acts usually with awilling partner, hence discovery is not as imminent as it wouldbe in the case of more aggressive antisocial acts such as crimesagainst property, assault, murder, rape, and the like.The unfavorable factors are self-explanatory in most in-stances. Being unemployed while at the Medical Center is nota reflection on the institution as one might suspect at firstglance. The recidivists were so uncooperative that they had tobe placed in segregation, hence they could not be assigned towork. Just why recidivists tend to come from the CentralStates is not quite clear. Perhaps the location of the MedicalCenter has something to do with it. It is more convenient toinstitutions located in the Central States, hence the Center mayreceive more transfers from that area. However, it is wellknown that some of the most notorious outlaws come from themiddle west. There may be an endemic focus for the spawn-ing of criminal psychopaths in the Central States.238.

A Comparative Study of Recidivists and Non-Recidivists among Psychopathic Federal Offenders

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A Comparative Study of Recidivists and Non-Recidivists among Psychopathic Federal Offenders

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