http://ocw.nd.edu This course will give students an opportunity to learn more about the ways in which Americans have thought about crime and insanity and how their ideas have changed over time. The 19th century witnessed a transformation in the understanding of the origins of criminal behavior in the United States. For many, a religious emphasis on humankind as sinful gave way to a belief in its inherent goodness. But if humans were naturally good, how could their evil actions be explained? Drawing on studies done here and abroad, American doctors, preachers, and lawyers debated whether environment, heredity, or free will determined the actions of the criminal. By the early 20th century, lawyers and doctors had largely succeeded in medicalizing criminality. Psychiatrists treated criminals as patients; judges invoked hereditary eugenics in sentencing criminals. Science, not sin, had apparently become the preferred mode of explanation for the origins of crime. But was this a better explanation than what had come before? daily 1 2008-01-25T20:52:51Z http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/linda-p-photo Linda Przybyszewski's photo History Department, University of Notre Dame History Department, University of Notre Dame 2009-04-29T07:16:16Z Image image/jpeg http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/discussion Weekly discussion questions for Crime, Heredity and Insanity in American History (course_default) 2009-04-29T07:16:16Z Page text/html http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/a-moral-dilemma-1 A Moral Dilemma, pdf Linda Przybyszewski Linda Przybyszewski 2009-04-29T07:16:16Z File application/pdf http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/a-moral-dilemma A Moral Dilemma (course_default) 2009-04-29T07:16:16Z Page text/html http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/linda-p Photo of Professor Przybyszewski ygaspar 2009-04-29T07:16:16Z Image image/jpeg http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/phrenology-heads-1 Science Museum London ygaspar 2009-04-29T07:16:16Z Image image/jpeg http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/assignments Essays and short written assignments given for Crime, Heredity and Insanity in American History ygaspar 2009-04-29T07:16:15Z Page text/html http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/readings Required books and articles for Crime, Heredity and Insanity in American History ygaspar 2009-04-29T07:16:15Z Page text/html http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/about-professor Professor Przybyszewski's background and research interests. Linda Przybyszewski Linda Przybyszewski 2009-04-29T07:16:15Z Page text/html http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/course-schedule Course schedule information for Crime, Heredity and Insanity in American History administrator 2009-11-18T17:07:56Z Page text/html http://ocw.nd.edu/history/crime-heredity-and-insanity-in-the-us/syllabus Course syllabus for Crime, Heredity and Insanity in American History administrator 2009-04-29T07:16:14Z Page text/html