criminal psychology-第25章

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gestures；　for　‘‘folding　the　hands　in　the　lap''　is　proverbial　and　means　there　is　no　more　to　be　done。　The　gesture　signifies；　therefore；　‘‘I'm　not　going　to　do　any　more；　I　can't；　I　won't。''　Hence　it　must　be　granted　that　the　condition　of　resignation　and　its　gesture　can　have　no　significance　for　our　own　important　problem；　the　problem　of　guilt；　inasmuch　as　the　innocent　as　well　as　the　guilty　may　become　resigned；　or　may　reach　the　limit　at　which　he　permits　everything　to　pass　without　his　interference。　In　the　essence　and　expression　of　resignation　there　is　the　abandonment　of　everything　or　of　some　particular　thing；　and　in　court；　what　is　abandoned　is　the　hope　to　show　innocence；　and　as　the　latter　may　be　real　as　well　as　merely　pleaded；　this　gesture　is　a　definite　sign　in　certain　cases。　It　is　to　be　noted　among　the　relations　and　friends　of　a　defendant　who；　having　done　everything　to　save　him；　recognize　that　the　evidence　of　guilt　is　irrefutable。　It　is　again　to　be　noticed　among　courageous　lawyers　who；　having　exerted　all　their　art　to　save　their　clients；　perceive　the　failure　of　their　efforts。　And　finally；　the　defendants　show　it；　who　　have　clearly　recognized　the　danger　of　their　case。　I　believe　that　it　is　not　an　empirical　accident　that　the　gesture　of　resignation　is　made　regularly　by　innocent　persons。　The　guilty　man　who　finds　himself　caught　catches　at　his　head　perhaps；　looks　toward　heaven　gritting　his　teeth；　rages　against　himself；　or　sinks　into　a　dull　apathy；　but　the　essential　in　resignation　and　all　its　accompanying　movements　is　foreign　to　him。　Only　that　conforms　to　the　idea　of　resignation　which　indicates　a　surrender；　the　cession　of　some　value　that　one　has　a　claim　onif　a　man　has　no　claim　to　any　given　thing　he　can　not　resign　it。　In　the　same　way；　a　person　without　right　to　guiltlessness　and　recognition；　will　instinctively　not　surrender　it　with　the　emotion　of　resignation；　but　at　most　with　despair　or　anger　or　rage。　And　it　is　for　this　reason　that　the　guilty　do　not　exhibit　gestures　of　resignation。

The　contraction　of　the　brow　occurs　in　other　cases　besides　those　mentioned。　Before　all　it　occurs　when　anything　is　dealt　with　intensively；　increasing　with　the　increase　of　the　difficulty　of　the　subject。　The　aboriginal　source　of　this　gesture　lies　in　the　fact　that　intensive　activities　involve　the　need　of　acuter　vision；　and　this　is　in　some　degree　acquired　by　the　contraction　of　the　skin　of　the　forehead　above　the　eyebrows；　for　vision　is　clarified　in　this　way。　Intensive　consideration　on　the　part　of　a　defendant　or　a　witness；　and　the　establishment　of　its　reality　or　simulation；　are　significant　in　determining　whether　he　himself　believes　the　truth　of　what　is　about　to　be　explained。　Let　us　suppose　that　the　issue　involves　proving　an　alibi　on　a　certain　definite；　rather　remote　day；　and　the　defendant　is　required　to　think　over　his　whereabouts　on　that　day。　If　he　is　in　earnest　with　regard　to　the　establishment　of　his　alibi；　i。　e。　if　he　really　was　not　there　and　did　not　do　the　thing；　it　will　be　important　for　him　to　remember　the　day　in　question　and　to　be　able　to　name　the　witnesses　of　his　whereabouts　then。　Hence　he　will　think　intensively。　But　if　he　has　claimed　an　alibi　dishonestly；　as　is　frequent　with　criminals；　in　order　to　make　people　conclude　that　nobody　has　the　right　to　demand　where　and　for　how　long　a　time　he　was　on　such　and　such　a　day；　then　there　is　no　need　of　thinking　closely　about　something　that　has　not　happened。　He　exhibits　in　such　cases　a　kind　of　thoughtfulness；　which　is　not；　however；　earnest　and　profound：　and　these　two　adjectives　describe　_*real_　consideration。　The　same　observations　are　to　be　made　in　regard　to　dishonest　witnesses　who；　when　pressed　to　think　hard；　only　simulate　doing　so。　One　is　compelled　at　the　very　least　to　look　closely　after　the　witness　who　simply　imitates　intensive　　thinking　without　showing　the　signs　proper　to　it。　The　suspicion　of　false　testimony　is　then　justifiable。

A　rather　different　matter　is　that　blank　expression　of　the　eyes　which　only　shows　that　its　possessor　is　completely　lost　in　his　thoughts　this　has　nothing　to　do　with　sharp　recollection　and　demands　above　all　things　being　let　alone　or　the　belief　of　being　so。　In　this　case　no　distinguishing　gestures　are　made；　though　the　forehead；　mouth　or　chin　may　be　handled；　only；　however；　when　embarrassment　occurs　i。　e。　when　the　man　observes　that　he　is　being　watched；　or　when　he　discovers　that　he　has　forgotten　the　presence　of　other　people。　It　is　supposed　that　this　does　not　occur　in　court；　but　it　does　happen　not　infrequently　when；　for　example；　the　judge；　after　some　long　discussion　with　the　accused；　is　about　to　dictate　what　has　been　said。　If　this　takes　rather　a　long　time；　it　may　chance　that　the　witness　is　no　longer　listening　but　is　staring　vacantly　into　the　distance。　He　is　then　reviewing　his　whole　life　or　the　development　and　consequences　of　his　deed。　He　is　absorbed　in　a　so…called　intuitive　thought；　in　the　reproduction　of　events。　Intensive　consideration　requires　the　combination　of　particulars　and　the　making　of　inferences；　hence　the　form　of　thinking　we　have　just　been　speaking　of　is　merely　spiritual　sightseeing。　It　is　when　this　takes　place　that　confessions　are　most　easy　to　get；　if　only　the　judge　keeps　his　eyes　properly　open。

That　contraction　of　the　brow　signifies　a　condition　of　disgust　is　well　known；　but　there　is　yet；　as　I　believe；　a　still　other　use　of　this　contractioni。　e。　its　combination　with　a　smile；　indicating　disbelief。　How　this　union　occurred　seems　comparatively　undiscoverable　perhaps　it　results　from　the　combination　of　the　smile　of　denial　with　the　frown　of　sharp　observation。　But　the　gesture　is；　in　any　event；　reliable；　and　may　not　easily　stand　for　anything　but　disbelief　and　doubt。　Hence　it　is　always　a　mistake　to　believe　that　anybody　who　makes　that　expression　believes　what　he　has　heard。　If　you　test　it　experimentally　you　will　find　that　when　you　make　it　you　say　involuntarily　to　yourself：　‘‘Well　now；　that　can't　be　true；''　or　‘‘Look　here；　that's　a　whopper！''　or　something　like　that。　The　expression　occurs　most　frequently　in　confronting　witnesses　with　defendants　and　especially　witnesses　with　each　other。

The　close　relation　of　the　contraction　of　the　brow　with　its　early　stage；　a　slight　elevation　of　the　eyebrows；　is　manifest　in　the　fact　that　it　occurs　under　embarrassmentnot　very　regularly　but　almost　always　upon　the　perception　of　something　foreign　and　inexplicable；　or　upon　getting　twisted　in　one's　talk；　in　fact；　upon　all　such　conditions　　which　require　greater　physical　and　psychical　clearness　of　vision；　and　hence　the　shutting　out　of　superfluous　light。　The　expression　may　be　important　on　the　face　of　a　defendant　who　asserts；e。　g。　that　he　does　not　understand　an　argument　intended　to　prove　his　guilt。　If　he　is　guilty　he　obviously　knows　what　happened　in　the　commission　of　the　crime　and　thereby　the　argument　which　reproduces　it；　and　even　if　he　assures　the　court　a　hundred　times　that　he　does　not　understand　it；　he　is　either　trying　to　show　himself　innocent　or　wants　to　gain　time　for　his　answer。　If　he　is　innocent　it　may　be　that　he　really　does　not　understand　the　argument　because　he　is　unaware　of　the　actual　situation。　Hence　he　will　frown　and　listen　attentively　at　the　very　beginning　of　the　argument。　The　guilty　person　perhaps　also　aims　to　appear　enormously　attentive；　but　he　does　not　contract　his　brow；　because　he　does　not　need　to　sharpen　his　glance；　he　knows　the　facts　accurately　enough　without　it。　It　is　important　for　the　penologist　to　know　whether　a　man　has　in　the　course　of　his　life　undergone　much　anxiety　and　trouble；　or　whether　he　has　lived　through　it　carelessly。　Concerning　these　matters　Darwin　points　out　that　when　the　inner　ends　of　the　eyebrows　are　raised　certain　muscles　have　to　be　contracted　（i。　e。　the　circular　ones　which　contract　the　eyebrows　and　the　pyramidal　muscle　of　the　nose；　which　serve　both　to　pull　down　and　contract　the　eyelids）。　The　contraction　is　accomplished　through　the　vigorous　drawing　together　of　the　central　bundle　of　muscles　at　the　brow。　These　muscles；　by　contracting；　raise　the　inner　ends　of　the　brow；　and　since　the　muscles　which　contract　the　eyebrows　bring　them　together　at　the　same　time；　their　inner　ends　are　folded　in　great　lumpy　creases。　In　this　way　short　oblique；　and　short　perpendicular　furrows　are　made。　Now　this；　few　people　can　do　without　practice；　many　can　never　perform　it　voluntarily；　and　it　is　more　frequent　among　women　and　children　than　among　men。　It　is　important　to　note　that　it　is　always　a　sign　of　spiritual　pain；　not　physical。　And　curiously　enough　it　is　as　a　rule　related　with　drawing　down　the　corners　of　the　mouth。

Further　to　study　the　movements　of　the　features　will　require　an　examination　into　the　reasons　for　the　action　of　these；　and　not　other　muscles；　as　accompaniments　of　the　psychical　states。　Piderit　holds　it　is　due　to　the　fact　that　the　motor　nerves　which　supply　these　muscles　rise　right　next　to　the　purely　psychical　centers　and　hence　these　muscles　are　the　supports　of　the　organs　of　sense。　The　latter　is　no　doubt　correct；　but　the　first　statement　is　rather　doubtful。　In　any　event　it　is　evident　that　the　features　contain　an　exceptionally　large　number　　of　fine　muscles　with　especially　rich　motor　capacity；　and　hence　move　together　and　in　accordance　with　the　psychical　conditions。　It　may　be　that　the　other　muscles　of　the　body　have　also　a　share　in　this　but　that　we　fail　to　perceive　the　fact。　Such　movements；　however；　have　not　been　essential。

We　may　take　it　as　a　general　rule　that　all　joyous　and　uplifting　emotions　（even　astonishment）　are　succeeded　by　the　raising　of　the　skin　of　the　forehead；　the　nostrils；　the　eyes；　the　eyelids；　while　sad　and　oppressing　emotions　have　the　contrary　effect。　This　simple　and　easy　rule　renders　immediately　intelligible　many　an　otherwise　obscure　expression　which　we　find　important　but　concerning　the　meaning　of　which　we　are　in　doubt。　The　development　of　a　movement　in　any　face　goes；　according　to　Harless；＇1＇　in　this　fashion：　‘‘The　superior　motor　nerve　is　the　oculomotorius。　The　stimulation　reaches　this　one　firstthe　mildest　alteration　of　emotion　betrays　itself　most　rapidly　in　the　look；　the　movement　and　condition　of　the　pupil　of　the　eye。　If　the　impulse　is　stronger　it　strikes　the　roots　of　the　motor　end　of　the　trigeminus　and　the　movement　of　the　muscles　of　mastication　occur；　then　the　intensified　affection　spreads　through　the　other　features。''　Nobody　will；　of　course；　assert　that　even　a　completely　developed　physiognomical　science　will　help　us　over　all　our　difficulties；　but　with　a　little　attention　it　can　help　us　to　a　considerable　degree。　This　help　we　do　need；　as　La　Rochefoucauld　points　out；　with　even　contemporary　correctness；　‘‘It　is　easier　to　know　men　than　to　know　a　particular　man。''


Section　21。　（8）　_The　Hand_。


The　physiognomy　of　the　hand　stands　close　to　that　of　the　face　in　significance　and　is　in　some　relations　of　even　greater　importance；　because　the　expression　of　the　hand　permits　of　no；　or　very　slight；　simulation。　A　hand　may　be　rendered　finer　or　coarser；　may　be　rendered　light　or　dark；　the　nails　may　be　cared　for　or　allowed　to　develop　into　claws。　The　appearance　of　the　hand　may　be　altered；　but　not　its　physiognomy　or　character。　Whoever　creases　his　face　in　the　same　way　for　a　thousand　times　finally　retains　the　creases　and　receives　from　them　a　determinate　expression　even　if　this　does　not　reveal　his　inner　state；　but　whoever　d