Pathology of Lying, Accusation, and Swindling

Book excerpt: Very little advancement in the treatment of delinquents or criminals can be expected if typical characteristics and their bearings on behavior are not understood. The whole study of characterology or the motivation of conduct is extremely new, particularly in their forensic and psychological significance. It is these characteristics that are addressed here. In some cases, it is vital for the administration of justice for us to understand the types of personality and behaviors before rendering a final judgment. Some appreciation of this fact may be gained from this book which shows the possibility of tracing one form of behavior to its source.