NCJ Number
57405
Date Published
1979
Length
190 pages
Annotation
AN ASSESSMENT OF SOME OF THE MAJOR THEMES OF CRIMINOLOGY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST CENTURY IS PROVIDED, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE STUDY OF CRIME AND THE PENAL PROCESS ARE PROPOSED.
Abstract
THE STUDY OF CRIME SHOULD MOVE BEYOND ITS TRADITIONAL BOUNDARIES AND METHODOLOGY TOWARDS A BROADER DEFINITION OF THE SUBJECT TO COVER THE PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE, THE ETHICS OF PUNISHMENT, AND SOCIOPOLITICAL ANALYSES OF LEGAL INSTITUTIONS. TOWARD THIS END, A DISCUSSION OF THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DEFINITIONS OF CRIME AND THE FORMULATION OF CRIMINAL LAW IS PROVIDED. THE EXTENT AND IMPACT OF UNDETECTED CRIME IN THE COMMUNITY--CRIMES THAT ARE NEVER REPORTED--ARE EXAMINED FOR THEIR THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE. THE KIND OF KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE SEARCH FOR EXPLANATIONS OF CRIME IS OUTLINED, INCLUDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ORIGINS AND POPULARITY OF PARTICULAR THEORIES AND THE CLIMATE OF OPINION IN SOCIETY ABOUT DEVIANCE AND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CRIME RATES AND INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR. AN ANALYSIS OF THE OPERATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESSES SUGGESTS THE NEED TO MOVE AWAY FROM A PURELY EMPIRICAL APPROACH TO A MORE VALUE-FOCUSED PERSPECTIVE. THE MAIN HANDICAP TO THE ATTAINMENT OF INTEGRATED CRIMINAL JUSTICE APPEARS TO BE ROOTED IN SOCIETY'S FAILURE TO ARTICULATE A CLEAR POLICY FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE. SOCIAL JUSTIFICATIONS OF PUNISHMENT ARE NOTED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED, AND INDEXES BY SUBJECT AND AUTHOR ARE PROVIDED. (WJR)