NCJ Number
51553
Journal
Revue internationale de criminologie et de police technique Volume: 30 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY-SEPTEMBER 1977) Pages: 233-250
Date Published
1977
Length
18 pages
Annotation
CRIMINAL POLICY IS STRONGLY AFFECTED BY ALL THE COMPONENTS THAT MAKE UP THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM--THE POLICE, PRISONS, THE COURTS. WHAT PROBLEMS THESE ELEMENTS HAVE AND HOW THEY CAN BE REMEDIED ARE OUTLINED.
Abstract
THE PURPOSES OF CRIMINAL POLICY ARE TO ADJUST THE SENSE OF JUSTICE AND LAW TO THE SPIRIT OF THE GENERAL POPULATION, TO DETERMINE PENALTIES (INTIMIDATION, NEUTRALIZATION, OR PUNISHMENT) AND THE EXTENT OF RESOCIALIZATION EFFORTS, TO PROVIDE FOR ADMINISTRATION OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN KEEPING WITH CHANGING SOCIAL CONDITIONS, AND TO LAUNCH CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS IN THE FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG ADULTS. THE ROLE OF THE PRISON IS CENTRAL TO MODERN PREVENTIVE SOCIAL POLICY, AS WORLD-WIDE REVOLTS SIMILAR TO THE ONE AT ATTICA PRISON INDICATE. CAUSES FOR THE PRISON CRISIS ARE UNCLEAR PRISON OBJECTIVES, FAILURE TO REVISE EVERYDAY PRISON ROUTINE FOR 150 YEARS, DIFFICULTIES IN TREATING PRISONERS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RELEASE, THE CONCENTRATION-CAMP-LIKE PHYSICAL FORM OF PRISONS, PREVAILING SOCIAL INJUSTICE IN THE PENAL SYSTEM, THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THE PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT MODEL, AND THE NEED FOR SIMULTANEOUS REFORM OF OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. REFORM OF PRISONS BASED ON EMPIRICAL STUDIES AND BETTER TRAINING OF PRISON PERSONNEL ARE NEEDED. POLICE RELATED PROBLEMS INCLUDE THE POTENTIAL MISUSE OF POLICE JUDGEMENT IN CRIME INVESTIGATION, CONTRADICTORY PRESSURES ON POLICE, THE GROWING EMPHASIS ON COST-EFFECTIVENESS, POLICE ENCROACHMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS, REJECTION OF POLICE AS A SOCIAL GROUP, POLITICAL INFLUENCE ON POLICE, THE EFFECTS OF ORGANIZED CRIME, AND A HIERARCHICAL ORGANIZATION. COURT-RELATED DIFFICULTIES PERTAIN TO THE USE OF PENALTIES SOLELY TO PROTECT CERTAIN SOCIAL VALUES, QUESTIONS ABOUT EXCESSIVE LIBERALIZATION OF LAWS AND THE DISSUASIVE EFFECTS OF PENALTIES, UNCERTAINTIES ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY ON CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, DELAYS BETWEEN COMMISSION OF CRIMES AND IMPOSITION OF SENTENCES, THE CRIME-INDUCING CHARACTER OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, INEQUALITIES FROM INDIVIDUALIZATION OF SENTENCES, AND THE NEED FOR TECHNOLOGICAL MODERNIZATION. THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, THE NECESSARY INTERDEPENDENCE AMONG ELEMENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMUNITY FOR PREVENTING CRIME AND RECIDIVISM ARE EMPHASIZED. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)