NCJ Number
47726
Editor(s)
D MACFARLANE
Date Published
1977
Length
151 pages
Annotation
PAPERS PRESENTED IN THE COURSE OF A WORKSHOP ON CRIME PREVENTION ARE PROVIDED, AS ARE THE MINUTES OF SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS.
Abstract
THE WORKSHOP CONSISTED OF TWO PLENARY SESSIONS. THE FIRST SESSION DEALT WITH THE HISTORY OF CRIME PREVENTION AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD. TWO PAPERS WERE PRESENTED. ONE DEALT WITH THE HISTORY OF FAILURE OF CRIME PREVENTION INITIATIVES, ESPECIALLY IN CANADA. IT NOTED THAT THE HISTORICAL RECORD OF FAILURE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SHOULD TEACH SOCIETY THAT EXCESSIVE INTERVENTION BY THE STATE IN INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT OFTEN DEGRADES THE ACTORS INVOLVED AND EXACERBATES RATHER THAN RESOLVES THE CONFLICT. ALSO, IT IS ARGUED THAT THE ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE OF A HUMANE CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM IS A GREATER PUBLIC TOLERANCE FOR DEVIANCE AND UNREST. THE OTHER PAPER DEALT WITH EXISTING TRENDS IN CRIME PREVENTION, WITH ATTENTION TO THE IDEA OF SOCIETY'S LEARNING TO LIVE WITH THE REALITY OF DEVIANCE. IT NOTED THAT NOT ALL CRIME IS PREVENTABLE, THAT TRULY CRIME-FREE SOCIETIES ARE TOTALITARIAN IN NATURE, AND THAT WHAT SOCIETY REALLY WANTS IS LESS CRIME, PARTICULARLY IN ITS MORE SERIOUS FORMS. THE MINUTES OF THE DISCUSSION THAT FOLLOWED THE TWO PAPERS ARE PROVIDED. IN THE SECOND SESSION, A PAPER OUTLINING THE NATURE AND GOALS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND SOCIAL POLICY AS REGARDS CRIME PREVENTION INITIATIVES WAS PRESENTED, AND A FORMAL RESPONSE FOLLOWED. THE PAPER DISCUSSED WHETHER THERE EXISTS ANY BODY OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS CALLED 'SOCIAL SCIENCE' THAT CAN ASSIST SOCIETY IN PREVENTING CRIME OR RESPONDING TO IT MORE RATIONALLY. IT SUGGESTED THAT WHILE SOCIAL SCIENTISTS HAVE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO DESCRIBE, TO GATHER FACTS, AND TO EVALUATE, POLICYMAKERS ARE CONCERNED NOT ONLY WITH KNOWLEDGE, BUT WITH ACTION THAT IS BASED ON KNOWLEDGE. IN THE RESPONSE IT IS NOTED THAT SOCIETY IS TOO OFTEN AMBIVALENT, ESPECIALLY AS REGARDS ITS NEED TO BE PROTECTED ON THE ONE HAND AND THE NEED TO LIMIT THE DEGREE OF INTERFERENCE WITH INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY ON THE OTHER. IT SUGGESTS THAT SOCIETY SHOULD STOP BEING TOO CRITICAL OF THE SOCIAL SCIENTISTS AND THE POLICYMAKERS, AND THAT THESE PROFESSIONALS SHOULD TRY TO SETTLE ON WHAT THEY CAN SOLVE AMONG THEMSELVES. THE MINUTES OF THE DISCUSSION THAT FOLLOWED THE PAPER AND THE FORMAL RESPONSE ARE PROVIDED. A PROGRAMME AND A LISTING OF THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS IS INCLUDED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED AT THE END OF EACH PAPER. FOR INDIVIDUAL PAPERS, SEE NCJ-32553 AND 47727-47730. (KBL)