The study of physical, mental and moral characteristics will lead us to other determinations and will show in physical health that the prisoners are as a rule not much, if any, below the average of people at large. It will also show that the majority of them not accustomed to regular work or employment are not capable of doing as much labor or enduring as much constant physical fatigue as would the same body of men who are not criminals taken from the common ranks of the people. So as to mental characteristics, we can urge that the criminal intellect has not been keen enough to take proper rank with the average mind. It is a fact, however, that many criminals are very shrewd and intellectually keen. Doubtless something could be said about the quality of such intellect and its special characteristics. It is the intellect of a coarse nature and not cultured, refined, or properly trained in the aggregate. The well developed mind, balanced in every particular, is rare among criminals. It will be seen, however, that a defect in the moral nature is in most instances a secret cause of the crime. Moral insensibility seems to be the common characteristic of a large proportion of prisoners. It is indeed too true with many of them that their conscience consists merely in the humiliation of being caught. Dwell as they may upon past deeds, the great fault of their own, as far as they view it, is in the fact that they were caught in the act and apprehended and punished. This moral insensibility is found in all grades and degrees, from that of a complete lack of moral symptoms to those of a highly sensitive moral nature. Of the 4,000 criminals who have been through the reformatory at Elmira, 36.2 per cent showed on admission positively no susceptibility to moral impressions; only 23.4 per cent were ordinarily susceptible.[10] [10] The Criminal, p. 139. The following tables, taken from the report of the general superintendent of the Elmira reformatory for 1889, may be found interesting. It must be observed that the majority of these prisoners are young and all of them under the age of 30. CONDITION AS OBSERVED ON ADMISSION. PHYSICAL. (_a_) As to health: Debilitated or diseased 200 or 5.5 per cent. Somewhat impaired 501 or 8.3 Good health 3,135 or 86.2 (_b_) As to quality: Low or coarse 916 or 25.2 per cent. Medium 1,354 or 37.2 Good 1,366 or 37.6