CRIMINALITY, MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE CLINICAL APPROACH IN THE UNITED STATES - THE CURRENT SITUATION (FROM TODAY'S PROBLEMS IN CLINICAL CRIMINOLOGY - RESEARCH ON DIAGNOSIS AND ..., 1979, BY L BELIVEAU ET AL - SEE NCJ-65021)

• NCJ Number: 65030
• Author(s): P P LEJINS
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: Universite de Montreal, Centre International de Criminologie Comparee; Institut Philippe Pinel de Montreal 12; Universite de Genes
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

DISCUSSION OF CRIMINOLOGY IN THE U.S. ENCOMPASSES MAJOR TRENDS, ESPECIALLY THE TREND TOWARD PUNITIVE RATHER THAN CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT, THE CONTINUING INTEREST IN CLINICAL TREATMENT, AND NEW BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH.

Abstract

IN THE U.S., THERE ARE OVER 1,000 PROGRAMS IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE OFFERED BY INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. CLINICAL CRIMINOLOGY CAN BE CHARACTERIZED BY THESE OBSERVATIONS: (1) A MAJOR CHANGE, UNFAVORABLE TO CLINICAL CRIMINOLOGY, HAS OCCURRED IN THE HANDLING OF CONVICTED CRIMINAL OFFENDERS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS IN THAT PURELY PUNITIVE PENALTIES ARE REPLACING CORRECTIONAL MEASURES; (2) DISENCHANTMENT IS GROWING WITH THE CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS; (3) THE INTERPRETATION OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY INCREASINGLY IS BASED ON MODIFYING UNFAVORABLE SOCIAL CONDITIONS RATHER THAN ON HELPING THE INDIVIDUAL; AND (4) NEW CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES SEEK TO EXPLAIN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR NOT IN THE ACTION OF THE CRIMINAL OFFENDER BUT RATHER IN THE ACTION OF THE SOCIETY AND AGENCIES OF SOCIETY THAT HANDLE CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS CRIMINALS. FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ARE THAT SOME CRIMINOLOGISTS CONTINUE TO STUDY AND DO RESEARCH ON INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR WITH THE INTENT OF DISCOVERING THE REASONS FOR THAT BEHAVIOR WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL'S PERSONALITY, AND, ALTHOUGH OFFICIAL IDEOLOGY HAS CHANGED, MANY PRISON AND COMMUNITY-BASED WORKERS CONTINUE TO USE THE CLINICAL AND TREATMENT APPROACHES THEY WERE TAUGHT AS PART OF THEIR EDUCATION IN THE 1940'S AND 50'S. THESE GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ARE ILLUSTRATED BY THREE EXAMPLES TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN CRIMINOLOGICAL STUDY AND CRIME CONTROL PROGRAMS IN THE U.S.: MODIFICATION OF THE PROGRAM AT THE PATUXENT INSTITUTION IN MARYLAND, SOME CONTINUED RESEARCH AND WRITING IN PSYCHOGENIC OR PSYCHIATRIC APPROACHES TO CRIMINAL CONDUCT, AND THE EMERGENCE OF NEW INTEREST IN BIOLOGICAL CRIMINOLOGY. (PRG)