NCJ Number
14900
Date Published
1955
Length
168 pages
Annotation
DETERMINES THAT THE HYPOTHETICAL CRIMINAL WHO CONSCIOUSLY DEVELOPS A CRIMINAL LIFESTYLE OUT OF INTELLIGENT, SUCCESSFUL PLANNING IS NOT FOUND AMONG HABITUAL CRIMINALS IN PRISON.
Abstract
THE STUDY ATTEMPTS TO VALIDATE EMPIRICALLY E. H. SUTHERLAND'S HYPOTHESIZED MATURE CRIMINAL WHO IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CONSTRUCTED A STABLE, CONSISTENTLY RENUMERATIVE PATTERN OF CRIMINALITY WITHIN A GROUP CONTEXT. THE CASE STUDY METHOD IS EMPLOYED, USING 25 OFFENDERS WHO HAVE SERVED AT LEAST THREE TERMS IN ADULT PRISONS FOR FELONIOUS ACTS, HAVE NORMAL INTELLIGENCE, COMMIT ECONOMIC CRIMES OF VIOLENCE, AND ARE WHITE. NOT ONE OF THE SUBJECTS STUDIED FULFILLED SUTHERLAND'S CONSTRUCT OF THE MATURE CRIMINAL. THOSE CRIMINALS STUDIED WERE INSTEAD CLASSIFIED BY THE AUTHOR AS PRO-HABITUAL CONVICTS ON THE BASIS OF A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF COMMON CHARACTERISTICS. INFORMATION CONSIDERED PRACTICAL IN THE STUDY IS THE FACT THAT THE PRO-HABITUAL CONVICT TENDS TO BE A GOOD INSTITUTIONAL WORKER AND ABIDE BY THE RULES OF THE PRISON.