NCJ Number
59332
Editor(s)
E SAGARIN
Date Published
1979
Length
191 pages
Annotation
THIS 1979 COLLECTION OF 13 ESSAYS ON SIGNIFICANT CRIMINOLOGY ISSUES SUGGESTS THAT PREVIOUS APPROACHES, PROGRAMS, AND PHILOSOPHIES ARE INADEQUATE TO DEAL WITH THE NEW REALITIES OF CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH MANY OF THE ESSAYS ADVOCATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH, ONLY THE FIRST CONTENDS THAT CRIMINOLOGY SHOULD BE AN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY AND THAT CRIME SHOULD BE SEEN WHOLLY AS A BIOSOCIAL RATHER THAN SOCIAL PRODUCT. THE SUGGESTION THAT CRIMINOLOGISTS HAVE GIVEN UP TRYING TO DEFINE THE CAUSES OF CRIME AND HAVE BEGUN TO CONCENTRATE ON DEVELOPING REPRESSIVE PROCEDURAL APPROACHES IS EXAMINED. ANALYSIS OF THE IMPLICATIONS INVOLVED IN THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF VICTIMLESS CRIMES IS PROVIDED, ALONG WITH A DISCUSSION OF THE WAY IN WHICH CRIMINOLOGY HAS BEGUN TO FOCUS ON POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCACY. AN ARGUMENT IS MADE THAT THE CONSERVATIVE ORIENTATION OF POLICE AGENCIES, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IN FIGHTING CRIME. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A LACK OF RESEARCH INTO CORPORATE CRIME, CURRENT SOCIAL CONDITIONS HAVE FOSTERED A RENEWED INTEREST IN THIS AREA. EVEN THOUGH THE LIBERAL-REFORMIST MOVEMENT IN CORRECTIONS HAS SUCCEEDED IN INCORPORATING ITS MAJOR REFORMS (AIMED AT REHABILITATING OFFENDERS), PRESENT CONDITIONS MAKE SUCH AN APPROACH UNWORKABLE. PART OF THE CRISIS FACING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND CRIMINOLOGY RESTS IN THE FACT THAT ACADEMICIANS AND PRACTITIONERS HAVE FAILED TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP. IN THIS TIME OF CONFUSION AND CONTROVERSY, CONSERVATIVES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE A NATIONAL CRIME POLICY WHICH STRESSES PUNISHMENT RATHER THAN REHABILITATION. THE DANGERS OF SUCH AN APPROACH ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN ANOTHER ARTICLE. RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF VETERAN CRIMINOLOGISTS, CONCERNING THEIR VIEWS ON DEVELOPMENTS IN CRIMINOLOGY, THEIR OWN CAREERS, ANTICIPATED TRENDS IN THE FIELD, AND THEIR ADVICE TO NEWCOMERS TO CRIMINOLOGY, ARE REPORTED IN A CONCLUDING ESSAY. THE BOOK BEGINS WITH A FOREWARD BY THE EDITOR AND A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF HANS W. MATTICK, NOTABLE SCHOLAR AND CRIMINOLOGIST, AND CONCLUDES WITH BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED AT THE END OF MOST OF THE CHAPTERS. (KCP)