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muscular co-ordination, rather than prowess in the three R's. Careful observations
made while using this test show a decided and clear cut difference between the response
a defective makes and the response of a more trainable subject. The defective
fails frequently to understand the general principle of the test and even the initial
instructions, and makes stupid blunders again and again. He repeats his error and
does not improve on re-trial. The non-defective fails by reason of poor muscular
co-ordination between hand and eye, impulsiveness and lack of foresight. Frequently
he improves on re-trial.
The impression remains that of those examined by this test the great majority
failed through lack of training in those qualities which go to make practical ability.
Table F.—Compares mental, educational and Porteus levels. The failure of
achievement is clearly shown.
Table G.—In this table all the children of 14 years and over (excluding the
defective) are considered. The number is 260. All these have left school. It was
realized that the mental age of 14 is above the average to be expected in the social
class from which the delinquent usually comes; consequently, the arbitrary mental
age of 12 was taken as being the average mental age attainable by the subjects
under review. Even so, only 55.4 per cent. of the 260 examined could reach a mental
age of 12; only 28.8 per cent. reached this level in educational subjects and only
14 per cent. in practical ability. The social failure of these boys and girls as employable
units is not to be wondered at. They were none of them certifiably defective
and all capable of and in need of further long periods of training to enable them to
compete in life with a reasonable prospect of success.
Analysis of the delinquency.—Theft, actual, intended or probable, is at the base
of over 70 per cent. of the charges made. Cases labelled "being in unlawful
possession," " embezzlement," etc., merely express slight differences in the legal
aspect; morally and in their psychological aspect these charges may be considered
as theft. In the table of charges, numbers 1-13 relate to delinquencies of this
nature (456 children). Again, of the 95 children charged with " being beyond
parental control," theft was alleged in 33 of them. In the case of 51 children charged
with "breach of recognisances," the original charge was theft in 38 cases. This
gives a percentage of 72.2 of the cases in which stealing in one form or another
was alleged.