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They come from all economic and, social levels, and "the majority were respected members of their communitjes....."
These differences between sex offenses and other crimes have led to adoption of the term "emotionally ill" for the sex offender, the booklet said.
The Atascadero State Hospital was designated as the treatment center for all sex offenders convicted under the sexual psychopathy law of California.
A "sexual psychopath" is a person convicted of a sex offense, or of an offense closely related to sexual deviation, or · who has committed some offense and is found to have sexually deviant tendencies. Also, he has been examined by two or more psychiatrists at the direction of the court, and these psychiatrists have reported that they believe the person predisposed to the commission of a sexual of fense.
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The Legislature in March, 1950, financed research into the causes and cure of sexual deviation, through the Langley Porter Clinic in San Francisco.
At Atascadero, each patient is assigned to a therapy team -a psychiatrist, a psychologist and a psychiatric social worker together with a rehabilita tion therapist. "The entire program is aimed at rehabilita tion," the booklet published by the patients explains.
Although the general appearance belies the fact, Atascadero is a maximum security institution; escaping is diffi cult.
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Nevertheless, the booklet says, "most of the patients are not the criminal type. For the most part, they were trying to be good citizens and the thought of committing an anti-social act was farthest from their minds. Yet for some reason which they were totally unaware of, they did commit a criminal act."
The research has shown, the booklet adds, that "most of these men were suffering from acute anxieties and worries long before they committed their sexual offenses. Their worries concerned their home life, their past failures, their success in their work, doubts about their manhood and their role as husbands and fathers...
"The sexual deviation itself is considered a symptom of an underlying personality disor der, and emphasis is given to treating this disorder rather than the symptom."
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Although only the statistics of future years will prove the success of this approach, the booklet notes, some 200 men have already been treated on this basis and released as cured.
Such released patients have many obstacles to overcome, the booklet concludes. First of all, the sentencing court may impose a jail term, after the mental treatment has been concluded. There are also economic problems-businesses or jobs that have been lostalong with social hurdles such as ostracism by family and friends.
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Nevertheless, the patients emphasize in their unusual
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publication, "the ex-patient has some invaluable assetsself-confidence, freedom from anxiety... spiritual strength,
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determination. These assets will enable him to succeed... All he asks is a fair chance to prove himself...
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La Vie Parisienne
That indefatigable inquirer into the more intimate behavior of American men and women, Dr. Alfred Kinsey, was a little at sea this week when he came up against the Gallic approach to the same subject.
For two hours he addressed a Paris meeting of doctors and sociologists. Then he bravely took the plunge and invited questions.
Asked an elderly, grayhaired doctor: "Why is the word 'love' never used in the 1600 pages of your two books?"
Thus, in a single sentence, the French doctor summed up the differences between Americans and French on a matter of some importance.
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By Noel Anthony
What is "sexual behavior" to the scientific; analytical mind of Dr. Kinsey is-let's. admit it simply l'amour to the French.
Dr. Kinsey smiled appre hensively for a few seconds. Then he replied: "Love is like music. I recognize that there is an art of love, but I have only studied the scientific aspect."
A customs official had something of the same idea when he passed Dr. Kinsey's luggage on his arrival. As the doctor moved on the official grunted to a colleague: "Why does he come here to talk to us about something on which we are already world-famous artists?"
(Copyright 1955 by North American Newspaper Alliance)
A talent can be cultivated in tranquillity; a character only in the rushing stream of life.
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