PROSPECTS FOR THEORIES OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR (FROM READINGS IN DEVIANT BEHAVIOR, 1973 BY DENZEL E BENSON SEE NCJ-25001)

• NCJ Number: 25004
• Author(s): A T TURK
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: MSS Information Corporation
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A PROPOSED CONCEPTUALIZATION OF CRIMINOLOGY AS A SCIENTIFIC INSTEAD OF 'APPLIED' DISCIPLINE, IN WHICH CRIMINAOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF CRIME PER SE WITHOUT ANY CONCERN WITH CONTROLLING BEHAVIOR DEFINED AS CRIMINAL.

Abstract

EVIDENCE AGAINST THE ASSUMPTION THAT CRIME IS A BEHAVIOR CLASS AND SUBCATEGORY OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR IS FIRST GIVEN. THE AUTHOR THEN DISCUSSES AND REJECTS THE VIEW THAT IT IS MANDATORY, OR EVEN POSSIBLE, FOR CRIMINOLOGISTS TO PRODUCE THEORIES OF CRIMINAL, AS OPPOSED NONCRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT SUCCESS BOTH IN 'SCIENTIFIC' AND IN 'AMELIORATIVE' WORK PRESUPPOSES THAT THOSE INTERESTED IN CRIME FROM EITHER PERSPECTIVE WILL BE MORE CAREFUL WITH THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN ASSUMING THE CRIMINALITY OF SOME BEHAVIOR AND SEEKING TO CONTROL OR CHANGE IT, AND TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHY THE BEHAVIOR IS LABELLED 'CRIMINAL' IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE WRITER SUBMITS THAT CRIMINOLOGY HAS NOT BEEN FOCUSED UPON THE PROBLEMS OF EXPLAINING THE CRIMINALITY OR THE LABELLING, BUT HAS IN FACT BEEN ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOCUSED ON EXPLAINING BEHAVIOR AS SUCH. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)