STUDY OF THE CRIMINAL IN MEXICO.
EVERYONE knows that study of the criminal by scientific methods is pursued with ardor in several European countries. However widely workers may ultimately diverge from the ideas of Cesare Lombroso, his writings and influence have been most important in furthering such study. In this country the interest has been somewhat desultory. While the Bertillon system of measurement for identification has been adopted at some places, while important experiments have been made toward physical regeneration of individual prisoners, and while the government supports a special agent to investigate the relations between education and crime, it cannot be claimed that we have done much that is serious toward extensive and systematic investi- gation and record.
There exists in our sister republic Mexico one study of this kind which in some respects is a model. In the penitenci- tiriii of the state of Puebla, at the city of Puebla, is a thoroughly organized, well-equipped Department of Anthropology. This Departammto //< antropdogia was established April 2, 1891. It occupies three large rooms on the second floor of the building, and is under direction of Dr. Francisco Martinez Baca. Its work is divided between the laboratory, statistical office, and museum.
Minute study is made of each prisoner sent to the peniten- tiary. Detailed record is kept of the results. These records are preserved in a large book which we may call the Record Book. The portrait of tin- prisoner is placed at the upper left-hand corner of tlu page; below it, to th K ft, is an extract from legal docunu -UN Diving the details of his crime. There follow then personal data of several classes.
'nrteral: Name; cell number; age; status; business; race; religion; origin; birthplace; last residence; latitude, alti-
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