s, or, when it is legally permissible, to
plead the existence of partial responsibility--this latter more
especially in cases in which symptoms of mental degeneration exist. But
by itself a qualitatively abnormal sexual impulse gives the offender
just as little right to plead irresponsibility, as a qualitatively
abnormal sexual impulse gives the right to invade the sphere of
interests of another. The fact that paedophile tendencies occur in those
who are in other respects admirable persons does not countervail the
need that children should be protected. It would be an error to assume
that only morally defective persons are thus affected. I may mention in
passing that Dostoiewski is said to have exhibited such paedophile
tendencies--at any rate for a time. From the circle of my own
acquaintanceship, I have learned that such a tendency may exist in
those who are in other respects morally and intellectually sound.

In the sexual inclination of adults towards children, we find a source
of serious danger; but the risks are greatly enhanced by the fact that
the paedophile tendency is often complicated by other sexual perversions.
Exhibitionism in the male is exhibited not only towards adult females,
but also towards children, commonly towards girls, but in exceptional
instances towards boys. It appears that in these cases the stimulus of
innocence plays the chief part. In many cases, the exhibitionist is
satisfied with exposing his genital organs; and only in comparatively
rare cases, which by many are not included in the category of
exhibitionism, do we find that the exhibitionist also masturbates,
sometimes in the presence of the child, sometimes after going elsewhere,
The fetichistic tendencies of adults are also in many instances directed
towards children. Well-known cases are those of the hair fetichists who
not infrequently cut plaits of hair from the heads of schoolgirls; but
other hair fetichists are satisfied with cutting from the head smaller
fragments of hair.

Sexual inclinations towards children are especially apt to be associated
with sadistic acts. In a comparatively large proportion of cases,
children are the victims of lust-murder, if this term be used in its
strictly limited signification, and not to include all possible sexual
acts complicated with murder, but simply to signify cases in which the
very act of murder provides a sexual stimulus, or when the corpse is
utilised for a lustful act; that is to s