NCJ Number
86522
Journal
Teaching Sociology Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (January 1980) Pages: 141-162
Date Published
1980
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This article briefly discusses Soviet theories on crime and the Soviet society's reaction to criminals in order to provide information useful for developing a short module on crime in communist society, given the paucity of such material in American criminology textbooks and courses.
Abstract
It presents techniques for measuring student knowledge of crime in communist (Marxist-Leninist) States and explains how the Communist Party rationalizes the existence of crime. The author quotes from writings by communist criminologists presenting popular explanations of crime and notes that teaching about communist theories of crime requires an education in the principles of socialism. The article also mentions the roles of Soviet militia, Volunteer People's Communes, and comradeship courts in crime prevention to allow the instructor to highlight the great reliance Communist Party States place on community pressure in reacting to offenders. Finally, the author suggests ways to compare and contrast American criminology with that of communist countries. Notes and over 30 references are supplied.