criminal psychology-第122节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
stasy of adventurous and passionate love is frequently connected with a certain cruel tendency。 Women are； as a rule； more ferocious than men。＇1＇ It is asserted that a woman in love is constantly desiring her man。 If this be true； the foregoing statement is sufficiently explained。 In one sense the connection between sexual passion and cruelty is bound up with that unsatiability which is characteristic of several passions。 It is best to be observed in passions for property； especially such as involve the sense…perception of money。 It is quite correct to speak of the overwhelming； devilish power of gold； of the sensual desire to roll in gold； of the irresistible ring of coins； etc。 And it is also correctly held that money has the same definite influence on man as blood on preying animals。 We all know innumerable examples of quite decent people who were led to serious crimes by the mere sight of a large sum of money。 Knowledge of this tendency may； on occasion； lead to clues； and even to the personality of the criminal。
＇1＇ A。 Eulenberg： Sexuale Neuropathie。 Leipzig 1895。
Section 96。 （f） Honor。
Kant says that a man's honor consists in what people think about him； a woman's in what people say about her。 Another authority believes that honor and a sense of honor are an extension of the sense of self in and through others。 The essence of my honor is my belief that I exist for others； that my conduct will be judged and valued not only by myself but by others。 Falstaff calls honor the painted picture at a funeral。 Our authors are both right and wrong； for honor is simply the position a man takes with regard to the world； so that even gamins may be said to have honor。 Unwillingness to see this may cause us criminalists considerable trouble。 One of the worst men I ever met in my profession； a person guilty of the nastiest crimes； so nasty that he had driven his honorable parents to suicide； had at the expiration of his last sentence of many years in prison； said literally； ‘‘I offer no legal objection against the sentence。 I beg； however； for three days' suspension so that I may write a series of farewell letters which I could not write as a prisoner。'' Even in the heart of this man there was still the light of what other people call honor。 We often find similar things which may be used to our advantage in examination。 Not； of course； for the purpose of getting confession； accusation of accomplices； etc。 This might； indeed； serve the interests of the case； but it is easy to identify a pliable attitude with an honorable inclination； and the former must certainly not be exploited； even with the best intention。 Moreover； among persons of low degree； an inclination toward decency will hardly last long and will briefly give way to those inclinations which are habitual to bad men。 Then they are sorry for what they had permitted to occur in their better moment and curse those who had made use of that moment。
It is often funny to see the points at which the criminal seeks his ‘‘honor。'' What is proper for a thief； may be held improper for a robber。 The burglar hates to be identified with the pick…pocket。 Many a one finds his honor in this wise deeply attacked； particularly when it is shown him that he is betraying an accomplice； or that he has swindled his comrades in the division of booty； etc。 I remember one thief who was inconsolable because the papers mentioned that he had foolishly overlooked a large sum of money in a burglary。 This would indicate that criminals have professional ambitions and seek professional fame。
Section 97。 （g） Superstition。
For a discussion of Superstition see my Handbuch fr Untersuchungsrichter； etc。 （English translation by J。 Adam； New York； 1907）； and H。 Gross's Archiv I； 306； III； 88； IV； 340； V； 290； 207； IX； 253； IV； 168； VI； 312； VII； 162； XII； 334。
Topic 3。 MISTAKES。
（a） Mistakes of the Senses。
Section 98。 （1） General Considerations。
As sensation is the basis of knowledge； the sensory process must be the basis of the correctness of legal procedure。 The information we get from our senses and on which we construct our conclusion； may be said； all in all； to be reliable； so that we are not justified in approaching things we assume to depend on sense…perception with exaggerated caution。 Nevertheless； this perception is not always completely correct； and the knowledge of its mistakes must help us and even cause us to wonder that we make no greater ones。
Psychological examination of sense…perception has been going on since Heraclitus。 Most of the mistakes discovered have been used for various purposes； from sport to science。 They are surprising and attract and sustain public attention； they have； hence； become familiar； but their influence upon other phenomena and their consequences in the daily life have rarely been studied。 For two reasons。 First； because such illusions seem to be small and their far…reaching effects are rarely thought of； as when； e。 g。； a line drawn on paper seems longer or more inclined than it really is。 Secondly； it is supposed that the influence of sensory illusions can not easily make a difference in practical life。 If the illusion is observed it is thereby rendered harmless and can have no effect。 If it is not observed and later on leads to serious consequences； their cause can not possibly be sought out； because it can not be recognized as such； and because there have been so many intermediate steps that a correct retroduction is impossible。
This demonstrates the rarity of a practical consideration of sense… perception； but does not justify that rarity。 Of course； there are great difficulties in applying results of limited experiments to extensive conditions。 They arise from the assumption that the conditions will be similar to those which the scientist studies； and that a situation which exhibits certain phenomena under narrow experimental conditions will show them； also； in the large。 But this is not the case； and it is for this reason that the results of modern psychology have remained practically unproductive。 This； of course； is not a reproach to the discipline of experimental psychology； or an assault upon the value of its researches。 Its narrow limitations were necessary if anything definite was to be discovered。 But once this has been discovered the conditions may be extended and something practical may be attained to； particularly in the matter of illusion of sense。 And this possibility disposes of the second reason for not paying attention to these illusions。
Witnesses do not of course know that they have suffered from illusions of sense； we rarely hear them complain of it； anyway。 And it is for this very reason that the criminalist must seek it out。 The requirement involves great difficulties for we get very little help from the immense literature on the subject。 There are two roads to its fulfilment。 In the first place； we must understand the phenomenon as it occurs in our work； and by tracing it back determine whether and which illusion of the sense may have caused an abnormal or otherwise unclear fact。 The other road is the theoretical one； which must be called； in this respect； the preparatory road。 It requires our mastery of all that is known of sense…illusion and particularly of such examples of its hidden nature as exist。 Much of the material of this kind is； however； irrelevant to our purpose； par… ticularly all that deals with disease and lies in the field of medicine。 Of course； where the nature of the disease is uncertain or its very presence is unknown； it is as well for us to consider the case as for the physician。 But above all； it is our duty to consult the physician。
Apart from what belongs to the physician there is the material which concerns other professions than ours。 That must be set aside； though increasing knowledge may require us to make use even of that。 It is indubitable that we make many observations in which we get the absolute impression that matters of sensory illusion which do not seem to concern us lie behind some witnesses' observations； etc。； although we can not accurately indicate what they are。 The only thing to do when this occurs is either to demonstrate the possibility of their presence or to wait for some later opportunity to test the witness for them。
Classification will ease our task a great deal。 The apparently most important divisions are those of ‘‘normal'' and ‘‘abnormal。'' But as the boundary between them is indefinite； it would be well to consider that there is a third class which can not fall under either heading。 This is a class where especially a group of somatic conditions either favor or cause illusory sense…perceptions； e。 g。； a rather over…loaded stomach； a rush of blood to the head； a wakeful night； physical or mental over…exertion。 These conditions are not abnormal or diseased； but as they are not habitual； they are not normal either。 If the overloaded stomach has turned into a mild indigestion； the increase of blood into congestion； etc。； then we are very near disease； but the boundary between that and the other condition can not be determined。
Another question is the limit at which illusions of sense begin； how； indeed； they can be distinguished
