CAUSAL THEORIES OF CRIME AND THEIR EFFECT UPON EXPERT PAROLE DECISIONS

• NCJ Number: 64545
• Journal: Law and Human Behavior Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (1978) Pages: 377-388
• Author(s): J S Carroll
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH32855
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Plenum Publishing Corp
• Sale Source: Plenum Publishing Corp
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRICE QUOTED IS FOR THE ENTIRE ISSUE.

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS A FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYZING JUDGMENTS ABOUT CRIME AND CRIMINALS AND ARGUES THAT CAUSAL ATTRIBUTIONS ARE PREVALENT AND IMPORTANT IN THE WAY LAY PEOPLE AND EXPERTS UNDERSTAND CRIME.

Abstract

TO ILLUSTRATE THIS APPROACH, THE ROLE OF ATTRIBUTION IN PAROLE DECISIONS IS EXTENSIVELY DESCRIBED. SPECIFICALLY, RESEARCH HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT EXPERT PAROLE DECISIONMAKERS MAKE CAUSAL ATTRIBUTIONS IN THE PROCESS OF DELIBERATING ABOUT THE RELEASE OF OFFENDERS, WITH THE MOST TYPICAL ATTRIBUTIONS REGARDING THE CAUSES OF CRIME BEING SUBSTANCE ABUSE, PROFIT, VICTIM PRECIPITATION, INFLUENCE OF ASSOCIATES, PERSONALITY DEFICIENCIES, AND DOMESTIC PROBLEMS. THE ATTRIBUTIONAL FRAMEWORK CATEGORIZES ATTRIBUTIONS ABOUT CRIME IN REGARD TO WHETHER THE PERCEIVED CAUSE IS INTERNAL TO THE OFFENDER OR IN THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT, ENDURING OR TEMPORARY, AND INTENTIONAL OR NOT ON THE PART OF THE OFFENDER OR OTHERS. THE ATTRIBUTIONAL ANALYSIS OF RESPONSES TO CRIME HAS SEVERAL POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: (1) IT MAY AID IN RECOGNIZING AND SHARPENING POLICY ISSUES; (2) IT CAN PROVIDE A MEANS OF EVALUATING THE ATTRIBUTIONAL BIASES OF INDIVIDUAL DECISIONMAKERS OR OF ENTIRE SEGMENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM; AND (3) IT CAN ASSIST STUDY OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BY RELATING SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY TO COMPLEX REAL-WORLD JUDGMENTS. FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)