NCJ Number
142508
Date Published
1967
Length
257 pages
Annotation
These four papers examine recent research findings regarding the effectiveness of punishment and other treatment measures under existing criminal codes in Europe and the United States, with emphasis on those involving incarceration or restriction of freedom of male offenders, juvenile offenders, and adult offenders.
Abstract
The analyses considered statistical and prognostic studies, experimental and clinical methods for studying the reactions of offenders and the effects of punishments and treatment, and sociological and cultural studies of the environment of the place of detention or treatment. The first paper concluded that probation and other humanitarian approaches are just as effective in reducing recidivism as are more severe punishments, and that many countries waste money on unnecessary security precautions. The second paper focused on psychological research and emphasized the need for both scientific and clinical approaches. The third paper concluded that significant relationships exist between sociocultural factors and the effectiveness of institutions. The final paper focused on traffic offenses and concluded that certainty and uniformity of punishment must be ensured, that both casual and persistent offenders exist, and that imprisonment should be avoided as much as possible.