NCJ Number
60709
Date Published
1978
Length
334 pages
Annotation
THE ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEAA CAREER CRIMINAL PROGRAM ARE EXPLAINED AND DESCRIBED FROM A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE; THE ADEQUACY OF THEORETICAL PROPOSITIONS RELATING TO CRIME AND DEVIANCE ARE EXPLORED.
Abstract
IN THIS STUDY, THE CREATION OF THE CAREER CRIMINAL PROGRAM WAS VIEWED AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE GENERAL PHENOMENON OF THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CRIME. THE RESEARCH WAS GUIDED BY THE ASSUMPTIONS OF THE DEFINITIONAL PARADIGM OF CRIME AND DEVIANCE. THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL ATTENTION FOCUSED ON TTHE COLLECTIVE ACTIVITIES OF A VARIETY OF GOVERNMENTAL GROUPS AND AGENCIES WHICH PRODUCED THE LEGAL CATEGORY AND SOCIAL DEFINITION OF 'CAREER CRIMINALS,' AND HELPED TO MAINTAIN A PARTICULAR SOCIAL DEFINITION OF 'CRIME' IN AMERICAN SOCIETY. DATA WERE DERIVED FROM THE FILES OF LEAA AND FROM SPECIALIZED INTERVIEWS WITH MAJOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM. THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OUT OF WHICH THE PROGRAM DEVELOPED HAS THREE COMPONENTS: (1) PASSAGE OF HABITUAL OFFENDER LEGISLATION IN THE 1920S, (2) NATIONALIZATION OF THE CRIME PROBLEM DURING THE 1960S, AND (3) THE EMERGENCE OF THE 'NEW PENOLOGY.' PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT OCCURRED IN STAGES: (1) PRIVATE RECOGNITION OF THE 'SOCIAL PROBLEM' BY 'MORAL ENTREPRENEURS' WHO ATTEMPTED TO DEVISE A SOLUTION (2) THE ACQUISITION OF ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES (LEAA) FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED SOLUTION, (3) PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF THE PLAN THROUGH A PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH; AND (4) EXPANSION AND ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROGRAM WERE ANALYZED FROM BOTH AN INSTRUMENTAL (EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR) AND A SYMBOLIC PERSPECTIVE. THE ADEQUACY OF A NUMBER OF THEORETICAL PROPOSITIONS REGARDING CRIME AND DEVIANCE ALSO WERE EXAMINED. CREATION OF THE CAREER CRIMINAL PROGRAM HAS CONTRIBUTED TO AND HELPED MAINTAIN A FEAR OF CRIME IN AMERICA WHICH IS OUT OF PROPORTION TO THE OBJECTIVE PROBABILITY OF BEING VICTIMIZED. THE PROGRAM ALSO HELPS TO SHAPE A SOCIAL DEFINITION OF CRIME BY DIRECTING ATTENTION ONLY TO THE COMMON STREET CRIMES COMMITTED BY LOWER CLASS PEOPLE. SUCH A PROGRAM DOES NOT REALLY SERVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF AMERICANS, BUT INSTEAD SERVES THE NARROW POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF CRIME-CONTROL BUREAUCRACIES AND THE POWERFUL CLASSES IN SOCIETY. TABULAR INFORMATION, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, FOOTNOTES, AND APPENDIXES ARE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. (1WM)