NCJ Number
97130
Date Published
1985
Length
730 pages
Annotation
This text introduces the study of criminology, examines the causes of crime, considers typologies of criminal behavior, provides an overview of the criminal justice system, and addresses society's reaction to crime.
Abstract
The concept of crime is discussed, and the significance and purpose of criminal law are explored, with a look at what might happen when criminal law is used to control criminality. Current sources of data on crime are identified, including the Uniform Crime Reports and National Crime Surveys. Additionally, the official and unofficial ways in which data are collected on crimes, criminals, and crime victims are examined; variables such as police discretion and methods of reporting are described. The nature and purpose of research in criminology are considered, and the contributions of the classical, neoclassical, and positive schools to the development of the science of criminology are analyzed. Various approaches to understanding criminal behavior and the nervous system, endocrinology, body chemistry, and genetic background are discussed. Sociological explanations of criminal behavior are offered, and violent crimes are considered in the context of domestic violence. The due process rights of defendants are delineated, and the conflict between those rights and the growing recognition of the rights of victims is outlined. Finally, problems of overcrowding in prisons are noted, and attention is given the inmate social system, prison programs, and treatment of prisoners; problems that inmates face when they leave prison are also addressed. Approximately 1,000 references, 15 photographs, and 20 figures are included.