Just after the Russell Sage Foundation published a treatise on Social Diagnosis two years ago, a number of letters came to the author urging that a volume on the treatment of social maladjustments in individual cases follow. But this second subject is not yet ready for the large general treatise. A topic so new as social case treatment must be developed aspect by aspect, preferably in small, practical volumes each written by a specialist. This is such a volume, and Miss Colcord breaks new ground, moreover, in that her book illustrates the whole present trend of social work as applied to individuals.

Grateful acknowledgment should be made to the social case workers who have furnished valuable contributions to the body of data gathered for the present study. Miss Colcord wishes mention made of her especial indebtedness to Miss Betsey Libbey, Miss Helen Wallerstein and Miss Elizabeth Wood of Philadelphia; Mr. C.C. Carstens and Miss Elizabeth Holbrook of Boston; Mrs. A.B. Fox and Mr. J.C. Murphy of Buffalo; Miss Caroline Bedford of Minneapolis; Mr. Stockton Raymond of Columbus; Mrs. Helen Glenn Tyson of Pittsburgh; Mr. Arthur Towne of Brooklyn; Mr. E.J. Cooley, Mr. Charles Zunser, Mr. Hiram Myers, and Miss Mary B. Sayles of New York. Many others not here mentioned were untiring in answering questions and furnishing needed information.

MARY E. RICHMOND
Editor of the Social Work Series
NEW YORK, May, 1919.

CONTENTS

PAGE
[PREFACE]
I.[INTRODUCTION]7
II.[WHY DO MEN DESERT THEIR FAMILIES?]17
III.[CHANGES OF EMPHASIS IN TREATMENT]50
IV.[FINDING THE DESERTING HUSBAND]65
V.[FURTHER ITEMS IN THE INVESTIGATION]91
VI.[THE DETAILS OF TREATMENT]106
VII.[THE DETAILS OF TREATMENT (Continued)]125
VIII.[THE HOME-STAYING NON-SUPPORTER]149
IX.[NEXT STEPS IN CORRECTIVE TREATMENT]164
X.[NEXT STEPS IN PREVENTIVE TREATMENT]185
[INDEX]201

BROKEN HOMES

I

INTRODUCTION