Experiences in prenatal life and early childhood that may cause personality disorders or criminal behavior in later life are examined in these proceedings of the subcommittee on Childhood Experiences as Cause of Criminal Behavior of the Standing Committee on Health, Welfare and Science. This issue, the second in a series of 19 hearings dating from November 1977 to July 1978, presents the testimony of Dr. E. T. Barker concerning the relationship of mental illness to criminal behavior. Barker's thesis is that there are genetic, constitutional and environmental influences which are related to psychiatric illness associated with criminal behavior. The causal strength of each kind of influence presently is being debated. Questions of committee members probe related issues which include allocation of treatment resources, preventive interventions, the "current madness of our society," effects of television, poverty and violence, critical periods in infant development, child abuse, school experience, and emotional experience in the preschool years. Both English and French texts are provided. (Author/RH)