NCJ Number
55565
Journal
Criminology Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1979) Pages: 477-515
Date Published
1979
Length
39 pages
Annotation
PERSPECTIVES HELD IN COMMON BY LEADING AMERICAN MARXIST CRIMINOLOGISTS ARE CRITICIZED, ALONG WITH THE GENERAL METHODOLOGY EMPLOYED TO ESTABLISH THEIR THEORIES.
Abstract
THIS CRITICISM FOCUSES ON THE MARXIST THEMES IN THE THEORETICAL CORE OF A FEW OF AMERICAN MARXIST CRIMINOLOGY'S MOST INFLUENTIAL AND PRODUCTIVE SCHOLARS--WILLIAM CHAMBLISS, ANTHONY PLATT, HERMAN AND JULIA SCHWENDINGERS, AND RICHARD QUINNEY. THE VIEW THAT THE ESSENCE OF CRIME IN AMERICA LIES IN PROLETARIAT (WORKING CLASS) REACTIONS AND DEPARTURES FROM LAWS ESTABLISHED BY THE BOURGEOISIE (OWNERS OF MEANS OF PRODUCTION) TO PROTECT ITS INTERESTS IS NOT PERCEIVED AS TRUE BY MOST AMERICANS, REGARDLESS OF CAREER STATUS OR SOCIOECONOMIC LEVEL. MOST CRIME IS VIEWED BY AMERICANS, REGARDLESS OF CLASS AFFILIATION, AS DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR WHOSE CAUSES ARE OTHER THAN THE HYPOTHETICAL CLASS SYSTEM MARXISTS VIEW AS A NECESSARY ADJUNCT TO ANY CAPITALIST ECONOMIC ORDER. WHILE THE SIMPLISTIC EXPLANATION OF EVIL HELD BY THE MARXISTS MAY APPEAL TO MALCONTENTS WHOSE POWERS OF OBJECTIVE INSIGHT ARE CLOUDED BY THEIR OWN FRUSTRATION, THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS, EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE SERIOUS GRIEVANCES, OPERATE UNDER THE BELIEF THAT NEEDED REFORM CAN OCCUR WITHIN THE BASIC POLITICO-SOCIO-ECONOMIC STRUCTURE NOW EXISTING. THE MARXIST CRIMINOLOGISTS NOT ONLY FAIL TO REFLECT THE SUBJECTIVE PERSPECTIVES OF MOST AMERICANS, THEIR THEORIES ALSO FAIL IN THE EMPIRICAL TESTS OF HISTORY AND LACK CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES THAT WOULD NURTURE THE BELIEVABILITY OF THEIR DOCTRINES. THEY CONSPICUOUSLY AVOID POINTING TO ANY OF THE HISTORIC MARXIST-SOCIALIST SOCIETIES AS EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE THAT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR CAN BE VIRTUALLY ABOLISHED IN SUCH A SYSTEM. THE UTOPIAN CLAIMS OF THE MARXIST CRIMINOLOGISTS FOR THE SYSTEM THEY ADVOCATE LACK ESSENTIAL CONTACT WITH ANY CAREFULLY EXAMINED HISTORIC, EMPIRICAL DATA. GIVEN SUCH A CHARACTER, THEIR POSITION MUST BE VIEWED MORE AS A RELIGION THAN A SCIENTIFIC THEORY WHOSE REASONABLENESS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY SOME MEASURE OF DATA ANALYSIS. AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.