NCJ Number
57435
Editor(s)
J A INCIARDI,
H A SIEGAL
Date Published
1977
Length
206 pages
Annotation
NINE ARTICLES ON CONTEMPORARY CRIMINOLOGICAL ISSUES--VIOLENCE, CRIME PREVENTION, FEMALE CRIMINALITY, GOVERNMENTAL LAWLESSNESS--ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
BY EXAMINING CRIME, ITS NATURE AND CHANGING FORMS, AND EFFORTS TO LIMIT AND CONTROL IT, THE READINGS PROVIDE A CONTEXT WITHIN WHICH TO CONSIDER THE SOCIAL FORCES THAT CAUSE NEW FORMS OF CRIME TO EMERGE. ARTICLES ON THE 'REDISCOVERY OF VIOLENCE IN AMERICA' DEAL WITH VIOLENCE AND THE PIONEER SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN FRONTIER, THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILING TO VIEW VIOLENCE AS A NORMAL FORM OF CONDUCT, THE DIVERSITY AND CONTEXT OF VIOLENCE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY, AND THE SOURCES OF VIOLENCE IN URBAN AREAS. INCLUDED IN THE SECTION ON CRIME PREVENTION ARE AN OUTLINE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S POSITION ON CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION AS EMBODIED IN THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDARDS AND GOALS CRIME REDUCTION STRATEGY, AND AN ANALYSIS OF ISSUES SURROUNDING CRIME PREVENTION. THE LATTER OFFERS SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS SCHOOLS, MIGHT BE MODIFIED TO ATTENUATE THE SOCIAL FORCES FROM WHICH ALIENATION STEMS. THE SECTION ON NEW OFFENDERS AND NEW CRIMES INCLUDES ANALYSES OF FEMALE CRIMINALITY, STATE-SANCTIONED CRIME, AND THREADS OF LAWLESSNESS RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAN CULTURE AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE. AN OVERVIEW OF FORCES THAT HAVE SHAPED THE DIRECTION AND SCOPE OF CRIMINOLOGY IN THE 20TH CENTURY (CAUSATION, THEORIES OF DEVIANCE, CRIMINAL STATISTICS, OFFENDER TYPOLOGIES) SERVES AS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTICLES, TOGETHER WITH INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS LEADING INTO EACH SECTION. LISTS OF REFERENCES ACCOMPANY SOME OF THE ARTICLES. (LKM)