Show Just WHEN Is IsaMAN a MAN CRAZY CRA ZY rnE r-rnE I HE E great difficulty honest alienists often find 1 I themselves in when called upon in a criminal criminal criminal crim crim- inal proceeding to say whether the tho accused is responsible or not is discussed in the New NewYork NewYork NewYork York Medical Journal For there ire are are many persons per per- sons who have not sound and vigorous minds and should not be jud judged d by the same standards that arc are applied to normal persons and yet at the tho same time lime should be held responsible in some degree The psychiatrists call such individuals psychopaths psychopaths psycho psycho- cho paths moral imbeciles morons certain epileptics drug addicts and persons in borderline conditions Such men and women ore are responsible to some extent extent extent ex ex- tent the they realized that what they did vhs wrong and against the law but b by reason of ot their constitutional constitutional con con- defect detect they ought not be judged jud cd too toos s sternly In our social dealings with an individual b belonging belonging be be- longing to one of ot the classes mentioned a above o c allowances are made for his obvious peculiarities u and lock lack of judgment A attitude is assumed by his lay associates His Isis employer does no not burden him with tasks beyond his ca capacity ity his friends excuse breaches of decorum they would not overlook in others and his relatives learn where to avoid undue pressure But Hut when such n a pErson person commits an offence against the law his coun counsel l especially if there is but little chance of avoiding conviction from the thc facts is likely to set up the defence of insanity If the char charge o is murder he is almost certain to do so so The writer thinks an expert should not have to tell the jury this man is responsible or irresponsible irre ure- irresponsible thus in the former case subjecting him to a severe punishment or in the latter case getting gettine- him acquitted entirely He lie says a paid commission should pass upon such cases cOsea and its report should be used as evidence An alternative alternative alternative tive is the recognition in law of ot a partially responsible re rev re- re class clau as aa is done in France |