NCJ Number
59025
Date Published
Unknown
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THE CRISIS IN HANDLING THE AMERICAN CRIME PROBLEM IS DESCRIBED THROUGH A FOCUS ON THE GENERAL LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT OF CRIMINAL OFFENDERS.
Abstract
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HANDLING OF THE CRIME PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES SHOWS THAT THE TREATMENT APPROACH TO DEALING WITH CRIMINALS HAS COME UNDER ATTACK JUST AS IT WAS BEING WIDELY ACCEPTED BY THE PUBLIC AND BY CORRECTIONS ADMINISTRATORS. THE REASONS FOR THIS DISENCHANTMENT WITH THE CORRECTIONAL APPROACH INCLUDE STATISTICAL AND RESEARCH FINDINGS THAT CORRECTIONAL INTERVENTIONS DO NOT FORESTALL FURTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY BY OFFENDERS, THE ACTUAL INCREASE IN CRIME AND DELINQUENCY, REEMERGENCE OF THE BELIEF IN PUNITIVE SANCTIONS, THE CURRENT MOVEMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL OR HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THE GENERAL STANCE OF THE LIBERAL INTELLIGENTSIA WHO EXPRESS A PREFERENCE FOR PUNITIVE SANCTIONS. IN ADDITION OTHER MOVEMENTS FOR CHANGE OF THE SYSTEM HAVE EMERGED. ONE MOVEMENT CONTENDS THAT IT IS THE USE OF THE CRIME CONTROL MEASURES THAT MAKE HUMAN BEHAVIOR CRIMINAL BY LABELING IT AS SUCH. ANOTHER MOVEMENT IS CRITICAL OF PRISONS, THE ARTIFICIAL SETTING OF AN INSTITUTION POPULATED EXCLUSIVELY BY CRIMINALS CANNOT SERVE AS PREPARATION FOR LAW-ABIDING LIVING IN A CONVENTIONAL COMMUNITY. THE REVIVAL OF THE BIOLOGICAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL THEORIES OF CRIMINALITY AND THE INCREASE IN WHITE-COLLAR CRIME ARE OTHER SOURCES OF CRISIS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICIES. THE RAPID CHANGES AND INNOVATIONS WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, COUPLED WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF HOW TO COPE WITH THEM, HAVE CREATED A CRISIS SITUATION. (MJW)