title: [Criminal psychology in Franco's police].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Francisco J. de Echalecu (1897-1957) was a Spanish psychiatrist who held important positions, such as Psychology Professor at the Academia General de Polic&iacute;a and Neuropsychiatrist at the Direcci&oacute;n General de Seguridad.
  
  
  METHODS
  This work provides a brief biography of Echalecu and analyzes the transcriptions of his classes on Criminal Psychology of 1942, his Criminal Psychology from 1947 as well as his involvement in the case of the torture of Communist leader Heriberto Qui&ntilde;ones.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We describe his project of a totalitarian Psychology and his proposal of social intervention, including eugenic methodologies as well as forced reclusion for those labeled as asocial. The adaptation in Spain of the totalitarian psychological project to the new international reality after the Second World War is also described.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Spain a "final solution" for criminals and political dissidents has been prepared, which was inspired by the Nazi criminal policies and promoted by Dr. Echalecu from Spain's higher police body, the DGS. This project was frustrated by the German defeat in the world war and the only thing left from the original project was the arbitrary application of the Ley de Vagos y Maleantes [an antivagrancy law] to those individuals labeled as "asocial".
authors: Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Bandrés
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: Llavona
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Zubieta
mesh_terms: D003417:Criminal Psychology / Q000266:history*; D006076:Government / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D016495:Police / Q000266:history*; D013030:Spain