NCJ Number
18182
Date Published
1975
Length
250 pages
Annotation
A COLLECTION OF ESSAYS CONCERNED WITH CRIME CAUSES, PUBLIC REACTIONS TO CRIME, AND CURRENT METHODS FOR DEALING WITH CRIME, IN WHICH THE AUTHOR SUGGESTS THAT BASIC ASSUMPTIONS ON CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR BE RECONSIDERED.
Abstract
MUCH OF WHAT PASSES FOR PUBLIC DEBATE ON CRIME, CLAIMS THE AUTHOR OF THINKING ABOUT CRIME, IS BASED ON FREQUENTLY UNACKNOWLEDGED ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HUMAN NATURE. 'PEOPLE STEAL BECAUSE THEY ARE POOR' IS ONE SUCH ASSUMPTION, OR 'PEOPLE WILL STOP STEALING IF THE PENALTY IS TOUGH ENOUGH', OR 'WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT CRIME WITHOUT ATTACKING ITS ROOT CAUSES'. IT IS ARGUED THAT THESE ASSUMPTIONS ARE EITHER UNTRUE, HALF TRUE, OR IRRELEVANT, AND THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY GUIDE POLICIES, THOSE POLICIES WILL BE INEFFECTIVE. IN THIS SERIES OF TEN ESSAYS, THE AUTHOR CONTENDS THAT A PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF MAN AND THE PUBLICLY CONTROLLABLE FORCES TO WHICH HE WILL RESPOND, COUPLED WITH ONLY MODERATE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED UNDER EVEN THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES, IS THE ESSENTIAL PLACE TO BEGIN ANY DISCUSSION OF CRIME AND CONTROL. THE FIRST TWO ESSAYS IN THIS COLLECTION DISSECT THE RECENT CRIME PHENOMENON AND EVALUATE ITS IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. NEXT, AN EXAMINATION OF HOW POLICE OFFICERS, POLITICIANS, SOCIAL SCIENTISTS AND THE PUBLIC REACT IN RELATION TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS PROVIDED. THE VARIOUS WAYS IN WHICH WE PRESENTLY DEAL WITH CRIME - THROUGH POLICE, DRUG CONTROL, SENTENCING PROCEDURES, AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS - ARE EXPLORED, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THESE AREAS ARE OFFERED. (SNI ABSTRACT)