The Criminal Man

Duration: 12:00

Year Published: 1957

Creator: KQED. Kinescopes

Format: 16mm

Color: B&W

Sound: Sound

Description: 1. THE CRIMINAL. Introduces the series by defining crime and the criminal. Explains how time, place, and culture influence what constitutes a crime. Reviews the history of criminal law. 2. BORN CRIMINAL. Discusses the relationship of heredity to criminality. Points out common misconceptions concerning physical characteristics as a cause or recognizable symbol of crime. Explains the fallacies in Lombroso's theory of criminality. 3. ANTHROPOMORPHIC CRIMINAL. Discusses the relationship of body type to personality and criminality. Examines the characteristics of the ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. Compares the historical analyses of body physique with current theories. Relates characteristics of introversion and extroversion to criminal tendencies. 4. ETHNOLOGICAL CRIMINAL. Discusses the relationship of crime to race, national origin, and minority groups. Points out patterns of belief and the misconceptions that exist. Relates living conditions and geographical distribution to crime. Concludes that race is irrelevant to criminality. 5. LEFT HANDS, RED HAIR, AND CRIME. Describes the folk lore connected with crime. Uses vignettes to show the absurdity of such superstitions as handedness, hair coloring, scars, blemishes, deformities, and glandular problems as causes of criminality. 6. WEATHER MAPS, CALENDARS, AND CRIME. Continues the discussion of folk lore connected with crime. Points out that a slight correlation may exist between criminality and the weather, phase of the moon, fire, darkness and light. Uses vignettes to show how bad weather and dimly lit areas serve as second-hand causes of crime. 7. CULTURE AND CRIME. Analyzes patterns of culture and how they influence the rise of criminality. Uses the Nazi regime in Germany as an example. Points out how accepted behavior in one culture may be a crime in another. Discusses the impact of cultures meeting head-on thus giving rise to criminal behavior. 8. ALCOHOLIC CRIMINAL. Discusses alcohol as a measurable cause of crime. Uses filmed sequences and dramatic episodes to show how alcohol breaks down inhibitions, provides a sense of false security, and impairs judgment. Points up the relationship between alcohol and traffic accidents. 9. TEA, HORSE, AND CRIME. Discusses the basic narcotic drugs and their relationship to crime. Includes a filmed sequence of an addict undergoing withdrawal and receiving a shot that assuages him. Points out that crime committed by the drug addict is a secondary effect. 10. I.Q. AND CRIME. Discusses psychic problems and their relationship to criminality. Deals primarily with the mentally deficient individual. Explains congenital and developmental problems, organic brain damage, and deterioration. 11. SICK MINDS AND CRIME. Discusses the relationship of mental illness to criminal behavior. Emphasizes the functional disorder of schizophrenia, paranoia, and manic-depressive psychoses. Shows an interview with a schizophrenic type and compares him to persons suffering other psychic disorders. 12. BRAKES AND MISBEHAVIOR. Relates criminal behavior to the lack or failure of psychological controls on energies and impulses. Uses a modified Freudian approach to trace the development of the psychic. Explains the functions of the super-ego, the ego, and the ego ideal. 13. NARCISSUS, OEDIPUS, AND CRIME. Presents an analysis of two potentially dangerous stages of psychosexual development. Uses filmed sequences to point out influences which result in fixations at these two stages. Projects their effects upon crime emphasizing the development of the psychopath and sociopath. 14. ROOTS OF CRIMINALITY. Retraces psychosexual development patterns of personality emphasizing the psychopath and sociopath. Employs a series of vignettes to illustrate lack of affection, parental rivalry, sibling rivalry, overprotection and other child developmental influences. 15. TRUE CRIMINAL. Defines the characteristics of the psychopathic criminal. Employs film clips and tape recordings to provide examples of the true criminal. Shows three typical and less violent prototypes: the con man, the bigamist, and the youthful car thief. 16. SEXUALITY AND CRIME. Discusses the delicate but serious problem of sex and crime. Explains three categories: offense motivated by sexual desire, profit from sex, and sex deviation. Contrasts the American and British attitude toward this problem. 17. CRIME UNDER TWENTY-ONE. Concentrates on criminal behavior committed by teenagers. Points out that juvenile delinquency may be over-exaggerated. Shows how improvements in statistics, reporting and apprehension influence the total picture of teenage crime. Presents a group of young people discussing themselves and their problems. 18. EMOTIONS AND CRIME. Discusses the relationship between emotional stability and criminal behavior. Points out that most crimes are committed by normal persons. Illustrates with examples of hit-and-run drivers, embezzlers, income tax evaders, and people temporarily under stress or tempted in a particular situation. 19. CRIMINAL AND PUNISHMENT. Discusses the concept of punishment of criminal behavior. Explains the evolution of rehabilitation with emphasis upon the criminal rather than the crime. Presents a visit to a cell block in San Quentin Prison where five actual inmates are interviewed. 20. CRIMINAL AND HOW TO NEUTRALIZE HIM. Discusses the need for a constructive program for criminal rehabilitation. Points out that this philosophy has not been formulated. Illustrates a scale model of an ideal correctional system.

Complete Record: Source: NET Interest level: sh-c-ad Price: rent ea $4.75 Format: sd b&w

Metadata Source:Educational film guide. Supplements (1959-62)