Recent Book: Protect Your Property and Defend Yourself
| Author | G. A. Harris |
| Published date | 01 October 1982 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X8205500430 |
| Date | 01 October 1982 |
| Subject Matter | Recent Book |
ability to convince psychiatrists and
psychologists of his insanity so as to
protect himself from a life sentence
behind bars?
And Dr. George W. Arndt in his
foreword to the book warns:
The Edward Gein casesymbolizes the
type of situation in which an
individual can exist and
carryon
his
bizarre life-style, without detection,
for a dozen or more years. Hispattern
of behaviour and macabre activities
were a result of serious mental illness
and discorded thinking.
It
is the hope
of the author that through the
understanding of this true story of
Edward Gein, citizens of all types and
sizes of communities throughout our
nation will beginto examine seriously
the problems of the mentally ill, and
particularly the problems of the
mentally
ill
individual
who
coincidentally becomes involved in
crime. DANIEL P. KING
JAMES
GREENE
AND
DAVID
LEWIS: The Hidden Language
of
your Handwriting.
London: Pan Books. £1.95.
Graphonomy, (a new word, not yet to be explains their disinterest and cynicism,
found in the dictionary), has been for they are concerned with matching
developed, using advanced statistical known with unknown samples of
procedures, with the aid of sophisticated writing. For similar reasons most police
computers. According to the authors, officers may not in the first instance feel
our handwriting reveals our physicaland inclined to study the subject. However,
emotional state, when viewed by those
the
book
is very
readable
and
with the knowledge contained in this perseverance through the chapters will
book. The introduction explains that convert some to an acceptance of the
graphonomy is not be to be confused logic of the theories. As to whether the
with
graphology.
Graphology
is knowledge obtained will be of practical
discussed but dismissed for practical use, use, this is a matter of personal opinion.
being similar to astrology and other
The
intelligence,
independence,
inexact subjects, having little scientific a gg
res
s iv e n e ss ,
as
se
rt
ive n es s,
basis
for
its
theories,
whereas
submissiveness,
perfectionism,
graphonomy is a new and exacting extraversion, stress, sexuality, physical
science,
more
analagous
to the and mental illness and other Personal
preciseness of astronomy. Neither is the detail of individuals with whom wecome
book concerned with the identification of into contact are certainly of interest to
handwriting. This is the work of the all, especially those who seek a better
forensic
document
examiner.
No understanding of the abilities of
attempt is made to emulate or refer to the individuals in their work and' social
techniques "ofidentification. environment.
Although most forensic document Whilst one may not believe all the
examiners are sceptical of claims that claims of the book, the narrative tends to
personal information can be obtained dispel incredulity. I commend its reading
with accuracy by the examination of therefore to all who are interested in and
handwriting, some will admit the hope to obtain personal information
possibility, but they willadvise caution in concerning themselves and others by the
interpretation. Furthermore, forensic analysis of handwriting.
scientists can see little value in the subject G. S. BRAGG
for
criminal investigation. This, perhaps,
GORDON
HASLER:
Protect Your Property and Defend Yourself.
London: Penguin Books. £2.25.
The author presumably sets out to
provide the "layman" with a condensed
but comprehensive guide to physical and
personal security embracing wide
ranging aspects of crime and fire
prevention. That such a
task"
should in
the first place have been undertaken is
creditable when one considers that whole '.
October 1982
volumes have previously been dedicated
to such subjects as burglar alarm
installation, safes, self defence, fire
prevention, etc. The end result is a
paperback of
171
pages which varies in
content from professional technical
data in respect
of'
alarm and security
device
installation
to
amateurish
401
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