ANALYZING OFFICIAL DEVIANCE - FOR NONPARTISAN CONFLICT ANALYSES IN CRIMINOLOGY

• NCJ Number: 55564
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1979) Pages: 459-476
• Author(s): A T TURK
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REVISION OF PLENARY ADDRESS GIVEN AT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CRIMINOLOGY, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, NOVEMBER 17, 1977

Annotation

OFFICIAL DEVIANCE IS ANALYZED FROM WITHIN THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF A 'NONPARTISAN' CONFLICT ANALYSIS MODEL.

Abstract

PARTISAN CRIMINOLOGICAL ANALYSIS IS CHARACTERIZED BY DOGMATIC THEORIES WHOSE VALIDITY IS POLITICALLY RATHER THAN SCIENTIFICALLY DETERMINED. THE METHODS OF INQUIRY OF SUCH PARTISAN ANALYSIS ARE USED TO DEMONSTRATE RATHER THAN TEST THEORETICAL PROPOSITIONS. THE STANDARD METHODOLOGICAL TACTICS USED IN SUCH INQUIRY ARE ASSERTION, ANECDOTE, ASSOCIATION, AND ANALOGY. EACH OF THESE TACTICS IS BRIEFLY DISCUSSED. IN CONTRAST, NONPARTISAN CONFLICT ANALYSIS TREATS AS ENTIRELY PROBLEMATIC THE PROCESSES BY WHICH CONCEPTIONS OF DEVIANCE ARE SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED AND BECOME THE OFFICIAL CONCERNS OF THOSE WHO WIELD STATE POWER. THE MAJOR IMPLICATIONS OF THE GENERAL MODEL OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE DESCRIBED ARE THAT EVERY HUMAN ENCOUNTER INVOLVES BOTH DEVIATING AND CORRECTING BEHAVIOR; THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE STANDARD OF RIGHTNESS OR WRONGNESS THAT CAN BE ARTICULATED AND APPLIED AT THE EMPIRICAL LEVEL; AND CONFLICT IS IMPLICIT IN SOCIAL INTERACTION, AND ESPECIALLY SALIENT IN HIERARCHICAL RELATIONSHIPS. FOLLOWING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAIN FEATURES OF A NONPARTISAN CONFLICT CRIMINOLOGY, IT IS APPLIED TO AN ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL CRIMINALITY, CONSIDERED THE LEAST AMBIGUOUS FORM OF OFFICIAL DEVIANCE. THE RESEARCH STRATEGY ADOPTED CONSIDERS 'KINDS OF PEOPLE', 'RESISTANCE', AND 'POLITICAL CRIMINALIZATION' AS VARIABLES THAT INTERACT IN CAUSALLY SIGNIFICANT WAYS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LABEL 'POLITICAL CRIMINAL'. 'KINDS OF PEOPLE' INCLUDES ALL THOSE ATTRIBUTES OF SOCIAL ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE, LEARNING EXPERIENCES, SITUATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS, AND MENTAL CAPACITIES OR STATES WHICH HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED IN STUDIES OF PERSONS BELIEVED TO HAVE ENGAGED IN POLITICAL RESISTANCE OR PRONE TO DO SO. 'RESISTANCE' REFERS TO ANY FORM AND DEGREE OF DISSENT, EVASION, DISOBEDIENCE, OR VIOLENCE IN CHALLENGING AUTHORITIES. 'POLITICAL CRIMINALIZATION' ENCOMPASSES ALL FORMS AND DEGREES OF PUNITIVE ATTENTION GIVEN TO ACTUAL OR REPUTED RESISTERS BY AUTHORITIES. THE RESEARCH, PROVIDED FOR ILLUSTRATION OF THE APPLICATION OF THE NONPARTISAN CONFLICT ANALYSIS MODEL, AIMS AT DEVELOPING GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT POLITICAL CRIMINALITY AND POLICING APPLICABLE TO ANY HIERARCHICAL, POLITICALLY ORGANIZED SOCIETY, REGARDLESS OF THE IDEOLOGICAL CLAIMS AND BELIEFS OF RULERS OR RULED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)