Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/289

 REVIEWS 275

genuine criminals are studied for the discovery of the psychological, anatomical, and physiological characteristics which mark them as a separate class. While there is little of novelty in this part of the work, the statements and judgments are marked by the independence, clear- ness, and sense of reality which come from direct contact with the phenomena of crime. The significance of social environment in the formation of the criminal character is emphasized in the chapter on the habitual criminal, and the statistical material here is well arranged. The subject of recidivism is strongly presented, with a fresh compila- tion of data.

Taken altogether the book contains a real contribution to our knowledge of the subject, and is a sane and balanced presentation of the more vital matters.

The style is sometimes obscure, with a tendency to select the more difficult phrases when a more direct and simple form would be quite as exact and more intelligible. There are some places for interrogation marks in the chapter on hypnotism, although it is worth while to have the topic brought forward.

The statistical proof (p. 173) that crime by foreigners in the United States is in excess of their relative numbers must be held in doubt, since the author ignores the criticisms of Dr. H. H. Hart printed in this JOURNAL. Mr. Drahms does not even notice the fact that the census figures give no heed to the average age of immigrants and the average age of the native population. Nor are the immigrants of the various nations of Europe compared.

The criticism of the stock exchange (p. 214) will hardly be accepted in economics, although his denunciation of gambling is none too severe. The census figures relating to crime, 1850-90, are given without calling attention to Dr. Wines' warning that they are not com- parable for the earlier and later decades ; and so the optimistic judg- ment that serious crime is not greatly increasing is somewhat weakened. The criticism of trades unions (p. 350) for their opposition to contract prison labor is too absolute and sweeping to be quite fair, and the economic importance of the matter is underestimated, as Professor Fisher pointed out last year before the National Prison Association.

In spite of some minor defects the book will be read by every stu- dent of the subject, and its conclusions will deserve serious considera- tion, even when they deal with controverted positions.

C. R. HENDERSON.