NCJ Number
38206
Date Published
1976
Length
33 pages
Annotation
IN THIS ESSAY, THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES THE LEGALIST VIEW OF CRIMINOLOGY, ITS (POLITICAL) IMPLICATIONS, AND ITS PRESENT POSITION IN THE NETHERLANDS.
Abstract
HE THEN BRIEFLY REVIEWS SOME ALTERNATIVE CRIMINOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES THAT HAVE BEEN FORMULATED SINCE THE MID-1960'S IN AN ATTEMPT TO ELUCIDATE THE THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS OF WILLEM NAGEL'S PIONEERING CRITICAL STANCE IN DUTCH CRIMINOLOGY, I.E., THAT CRIMINOLOGISTS SHOULD NOT STAND ALOOF FROM POLITICS DUE TO THE CONNECTION BETWEEN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL REACTION TO CRIME. SOME ASPECTS OF SOCIAL SITUATIONS THAT HAVE CONDITIONED STYLES OF THEORIZING ARE ALSO MENTIONED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT SIGNIFICANT CRIMINOLOGY, IMPLYING POLITICAL AWARENESS, CANNOT DO WITHOUT THEORETICAL REFLECTIVITY; AND THAT IT WILL DEVELOP ADEQUATELY WITHIN AN ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING WHICH ENABLES RESEARCH AND INTELLECTUAL DEBATE, AND WITH A PRACTICAL INVOLVEMENT IN COMBATING SOCIAL AND LEGAL INJUSTICES TOGETHER WITH DISADVANTAGED GROUPS OF PEOPLE. A FOUR-PAGE REFERENCE LIST IS PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)