NCJ Number
55981
Date Published
1976
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT OF BANDITRY, TYPES OF BANDITS, AND CONTROL MEASURES ARE OUTLINED FOR THE PREINDUSTRIAL PERIOD IN FRANCE.
Abstract
DESCRIBED ON ONE HAND AS ROMANTIC AND ON THE OTHER AS PATHOLOGICAL, BANDITS ARE ESSENTIALLY INDIVIDUALS WHO REJECT BOTH LAW AND THE SOCIAL ESTABLISHMENT. IN PREINDUSTRIAL SOCIETY BANDITRY WAS A RURAL PHENOMENON MARKED BY A DRASTIC BREAK OF CLOSE FAMILY TIES. BANDITRY BECAME POPULAR IN PERIODS WHEN ECONOMIC POWER WAS EXERTED ON UNLANDED PEASANTS ALREADY IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION OR WHEN INDIVIDUALS RESISTED A NEW SOCIAL ORDER OR SUFFERED ACCULTURATION FROM DESTRUCTION OF AN OLD ONE. AS A RULE, THE COUNTRY WAS NOT EQUIPPED TO PROTECT VILLAGES FROM BEING PLUNDERED. BANDITS WERE BLACK SHEEP OR MEMBERS OF THE LOWER CLASSES; ONLY THE STRONGEST SURVIVED. CERTAIN BANDITS CAPTURED THE POPULAR IMAGINATION AS FIGHTERS AGAINST PRIVILEGE AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE, BUT MOST BANDITS WERE OF THREE TYPES: (1) GROUPS OF RELATIVELY HARMLESS SINGLE YOUTHS WHOSE ACTIVITIES BEGAN IN JEST AND BECAME VIOLENT; (2) GROUPS SPECIALIZING IN ILLEGAL TRADE WITH THE HELP OF ACCOMPLICES IN THE SOCIAL ESTABLISHMENT; AND (3) GROUPS OF UPROOTED SOCIAL DEVIANTS OF ALL SORTS WHO ENGAGED IN ESPECIALLY VIOLENT ACTIVITIES AND WERE THE FORERUNNERS OF THE MAFFIOSI. PREVENTIVE MEASURES WERE INTENDED TO AID CHILDREN-AT-RISK AND INVOLVED TRAINING YOUNGSTERS IN AN OCCUPATION USEFUL TO SOCIETY, ALTHOUGH MANY FOUND THEMSELVES PLACED IN INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE. REPRESSIVE MEASURES WERE DIRECTED AGAINST ADULTS. BANDITS WERE ONLY OCCASIONALLY HARBORED BY SYMPATHIZERS, AS BANDITRY USUALLY POSED A THREAT TO THE WHOLE POPULATION. SPECIAL COURTS WITH PURSUIT FORCES WERE INSTITUTED IN FRANCE; TRIALS WERE SWIFT AND SENTENCES WERE CARRIED OUT IMMEDIATELY. A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE OFFENDERS WERE EXECUTED IN PUBLIC TO DISCOURAGE IMITATION. NOTES ARE SUPPLIED. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)