CRIMINAL LAW AND ITS INFLUENCE UPON NORMATIVE INTEGRATION

• NCJ Number: 14938
• Journal: Acta Criminologica Volume: 7 Dated: (JANUARY 1974) Pages: 53-105
• Author(s): B ZUPANCIC
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 53 pages
• Corporate Author: Presses de L'universite de Montreal
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: Canada
• Note: DISSERTATION - HARVARD LAW SCHOOL

Annotation

LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN FOSTER NARRATIVE INTEGRATION (THE ACCEPTANCE OF LAW AND ITS UNDERLYING SOCIAL VALUES) ONLY AMONG THOSE WHO ALREADY HOLD THESE VALUES.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR ASSERTS THAT THE FUNCTION OF PUNISHMENT ADMINISTERED BY THE LAW IS TO REINFORCE THE COLLECTIVE SENTIMENTS OF THOSE WHO ALREADY ACCEPT THE VALUES PROTECTED BY THE LAW. IF THE LEVEL OF INTENSITY OF THESE SENTIMENTS IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO BEGIN WITH, PUNISHMENT WILL LACK MORAL FORCE AND WILL FAIL TO BE A REINFORCING INFLUENCE AMONG LAW-ABIDING PEOPLE. THE AUTHOR FURTHER ASSERTS THAT THE INTENSITY OF THESE SENTIMENTS IS DECREASING IN MODERN SOCIETY AS FORCES OF SOCIAL CHANGE CAUSE A GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO HOLD VALUES OTHER THAN THOSE PROTECTED BY THE LAW. AS FOR THE EFFECT OF PUNISHMENT ON OFFENDERS WHOSE SOCIAL VALUES ARE ALREADY ALIENATED, SKINNER'S THEORY OF LEARNING IS CITED TO ARGUE THAT PUNISHMENT IS AN INEFFECTIVE MEANS OF CHANGING HUMAN BEHAVIOR. FOLLOWING THE ARTICLE ARE ABSTRACTS IN FRENCH, SPANISH, GERMAN, AND RUSSIAN, AND A TWO PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY.