NCJ Number
12102
Date Published
1970
Length
171 pages
Annotation
CRITICAL ESSAYS ON THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF CRIME AND THE ROLE OF THE COURTS AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN ITS CONTROL.
Abstract
AN INQUIRY INTO THE PSYCHODYNAMIC CAUSES OF CRIME FOCUSES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONS, PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT, AND THE ROLE OF THE UNCONSCIOUS. THE AUTHOR ANALYZES THE ANTI-SOCIAL PERSONALITY AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE URBAN SETTING. A SECOND ESSAY QUESTIONS THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF REPORTING AND INTERPRETING CRIME STATISTICS. THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME IS ASSESSED TO BE HIGHER THAN REPORTED, WHILE INCREASES IN CRIME RATES ARE ATTRIBUTED TO BETTER REPORTING AS WELL AS TO GREATER OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMIT CRIME. A THIRD ESSAY REVIEWS THE SOCIAL COSTS AND BENEFITS OF CRIME AND CRIME PREVENTION, POSTULATING AN 'OPTIMIZATION' OF HARM WHERE THE COST OF PREVENTING HARM IS EQUAL TO THE COST OF THE HARM. THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF CRIME AND THE POLICY CHOICES AVAILABLE TO SOCIETY ARE NOTED. AN ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEMS OF STATE GOVERNMENTS IN FIGHTING ORGANIZED CRIME CENTERS ON PUBLIC ATTITUDES AND THE LACK OF STATE LEADERSHIP ROLES IN GOVERNMENT, SPECIFIC STEPS SUCH AS COMPUTERIZATION, EMPOWERING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO INITIATE CASES, AND REGULATION OF CAMPAIGN FUNDS ARE RECOMMENDED. THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN COMBATING VIOLENCE IS THEN TRACED, CULMINATING WITH A DETAILING OF THE PROBLEMS OF ENACTING FEDERAL GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION. A SIXTH ESSAY FOLLOWS THE EVOLUTION OF THE SUPREME COURT'S VIEWS OF THE CRIMINAL DEFENDANT'S RIGHTS FROM A STRICT INTERPRETATION OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS TO THE BROADER, MORE RECENT JUDICIAL INTERPRETATIONS. EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON THE COURT'S AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO PROMOTE JUSTICE BY SUPPORTING THE DEFENDANT'S RIGHTS IN A POWER-IMBALANCED ADVERSARY PROCESS. A FINAL ESSAY NOTES SOME OF THE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CRIME - ITS GEOGRAPHIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC INCIDENCE AND DISTRIBUTION, AND SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS SUCH AS UNEMPLOYMENT, POVERTY, AND COMMUNITY STABILITY. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS PROPOSED AND ANALYZED FROM A COST-BENEFIT STANDPOINT INCLUDE LEGALIZATION OF MINOR VICES, DIFFERENTIATED CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT OF THE YOUTHFUL VERSUS THE RECIDIVIST OFFENDER, AND REQUIRED USE OF ANTI-CRIME DEVICES.