CRIMINOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL PROFILE OF THE CAREER AND RECIDIVIST CRIMINAL IN PANAMA - ROBBERY AND THEFT

• NCJ Number: 68190
• Journal: CUARDERNOS PANAMENOS DE CRIMINOLOGIA Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1973) Pages: 111-125
• Author(s): M MARQUEZ DE VILLALOBOS
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 15 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Country: Panama
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. WORK PRESENTED AT THE FIRST CENTRAL AMERICAN CONGRESS ON SOCIOLOGY HELD IN SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA, APRIL 22-27, 1974

Annotation

HABITUAL AND RECIDIVIST PROPERTY CRIME OFFENDERS (ROBBERY AND THEFT) WERE SURVEYED IN AN ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH A PROFILE OF A TYPICAL THIEF OR ROBBER; NO ABERRANT OR REMARKABLE TRAITS WERE FOUND.

Abstract

THIS PILOT PROJECT OF THE FACULTY OF THE LAW SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA WAS CONDUCTED AS PART OF A BROADER INVESTIGATION INTO CRIMINAL TYPOLOGY WITHIN THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF PHENOTYPOLOGY AND SURROUNDING (INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR) WORLDS. HABITUAL AND RECIDIVIST ROBBERY AND THEFT OFFENDERS WERE SELECTED BECAUSE OF THE PREVALENCE OF THESE TWO TYPES OF CRIME IN PANAMA. THE SURVEY METHODOLOGY WAS A REVIEW OF CASES OF HABITUAL AND RECIDIVIST DELINQUENCY DURING 1971 AND 1973 (A TOTAL OF 157 CONVICTED OFFENDERS), FOLLOWED BY A CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBJECTS BY PLACE OF RESIDENCE AT THE TIME THE OFFENSE WAS COMMITTED. RESULTS SHOWED THAT 72 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECTS WERE RESIDENTS OF PANAMA CITY AND COLON AND 28 PERCENT RESIDED IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS WAS MADE OF THE OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF THE 2 YEARS UNDER STUDY, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SELECTING CONSTANT DATA AND ELIMINATING INCOHERENT INFORMATION. THE DESCRIPTIVE VARIABLES ACCORDING TO WHICH THE SUBJECTS WERE CLASSIFIED INCLUDED AGE AT THE TIME OF THE LAST OFFENSE; MARITAL STATUS; FAMILY OF ORIGIN (STABLE OR BROKEN HOME); EDUCATIONAL LEVEL; OCCUPATION; FINANCIAL SITUATION; LEISURE TIME PREFERENCES; DRINKING HABITS; TYPE OF RESIDENCE (OWNED OR RENTED); NUMBER OF PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS; ATTITUDES TOWARD AUTHORITY AND LIFE IN GENERAL. THE COMPOSITE PROFILE WHICH EMERGED WAS THAT OF A YOUNG (20-24) SINGLE MALE RAISED IN A STABLE HOME AND HAVING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EDUCATION. HE WORKS AT TEMPORARY, UNSKILLED JOBS WITH MEDIUM RESPONSIBILITY, LIKES TO ENJOY AN OCCASIONAL MOVIE WITH FRIENDS AND HAVE A FEW DRINKS ON WEEKENDS, OWNS HIS HOME, HAS A MIXED OPINION OF THE LAW, AND FEELS BASICALLY UNLOVED IN A WORLD RULED BY CHANCE. TABULAR AND STATISTICAL DATA ARE PROVIDED. --IN SPANISH.