CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINOLOGISTS IN QUEBEC - THE PROFESSORS TALK TO EACH OTHER

• NCJ Number: 53813
• Journal: CRIME ET/AND JUSTICE Volume: 5 Issue: 4 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1978) Pages: 318-328
• Author(s): C DE TROY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Ottawa
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: French
• Country: Canada

Annotation

IN AN ANALYSIS OF PROFESSORS' ATTITUDES REGARDING THE SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTREAL, TWO DIVERGENT OPINIONS FOR DEFINING THE GOALS OF CRIMINOLOGICAL STUDY ARE EXAMINED.

Abstract

INITIALLY, THE CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT AT MONTREAL WAS GEARED TOWARDS PROFESSIONALISM, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SCIENCE OF CRIMINOLOGY AND SPECIALISTS (CRIMINOLOGISTS) ACTING AS 'SOCIAL ENGINEERS.' THE SCHOOL WAS TO BE A GATHERING PLACE FOR PRACTITIONERS, PROFESSORS, AND ADMINISTRATORS IN THE FIELD. TO DETERMINE HOW THE OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHOOL HAVE CHANGED, OR IF THEY HAVE BEEN MET, 19 OF THE 20 PROFESSORS AT THE SCHOOL WERE INTERVIEWED. TWO SEPARATE OPINIONS BECAME EVIDENT IMMEDIATELY: (1) THE SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY A AN AUTONOMOUS FIELD, WITH ITS OWN CURRICULUM AND SPECIALISTS; AND (2) CRIMINOLOGY AS A BRANCH OR SPECIALIZATION OF CRIMINAL POLICY WITHIN THE FIELD OF LAW AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. IDEALLY, CRIMINOLOGISTS SHOULD BE AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE; HOWEVER, THE POSITIONS USUALLY TAKEN BY CRIMINOLOGISTS HAVE OFTEN BEEN SO FAR REMOVED FROM PROFESSIONAL AND IDEOLOGICAL EXPECTATIONS THAT STUDENTS FREQUENTLY ABANDON THESE GOALS. PROFESSORS VIEW THEIR STUDENTS AS INADEQUATELY TRAINED YOUTHS WITH UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS OF CRIMINOLOGY AS THE IMMEDIATE AND SHORT-TERM SOLUTION TO CRIMINOLOGICAL ISSUES. THESE STUDENTS ENTER THE WORKING WORLD AND ARE QUICKLY ABSORBED BY STRUCTURES TOO RIGID TO ACCEPT THE NEWLY LEARNED PRINCIPLES. OVERALL, THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL'S THEORETICAL APPROACH TO CRIMINOLOGY ARE NOW BEING QUESTIONED BY PROFESSORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND PRACTITIONERS. WHILE SOME PROFESSORS CONTINUE TO DEFINE THE SCHOOL AS A PLACE TO TRAIN PROFESSIONALS TO WORK IN SOCIETY, UTILIZING AN ETIOLOGICAL THEORY OF DELINQUENCY, OTHERS PREFER TO DEFINE CRIMINOLOGY AS AN EXTENSION OF OR SPECIALIZATION IN LEGAL TRAINING OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION. FLOW CHARTS AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. --IN FRENCH. (MHP)