NCJ Number
48256
Date Published
1974
Length
18 pages
Annotation
ASPECTS OF A PREVENTIVE, AS OPPOSED TO A PUNITIVE/REHABILITATIVE, EMPHASIS IN CRIMINOLOGY ARE OUTLINED, AND ELEMENTS OF A MAN-ENVIRONMENT APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOR ARE CONSIDERED.
Abstract
THE OLD CRIMINOLOGICAL MODEL DEALS WITH CRIME AFTER IT HAS OCCURRED, EMPHASIZES TREATMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL CRIMINAL, AND EMPLOYS INDIRECT CONTROLS OVER CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. A REVISED MODEL (THE MAN-ENVIRONMENT APPROACH) EMPHASIZES PREVENTION, FOCUSES ON THE ENVIRONMENT RATHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL OFFENDER, AND USES DIRECT CONTROLS OVER BEHAVIOR (E.G., DESIGNING AN AUTOMOBILE THAT CANNOT BE OPERATED BY A DRUNK DRIVER, AS OPPOSED TO JAILING DRUNK DRIVERS AND TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED). SUCH AN APPROACH REQUIRES AN UNDERSTANDING OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, WHICH IN TURN REQUIRES AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERACTION OF THE ORGANISM AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THE INTERACTIONS OF BIOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND SOCIOLOGY MUST BE EXPLORED. IN THIS LIGHT, AN OVERVIEW IS PRESENTED OF THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, BEHAVIORAL GENETICS, OPERANT PSYCHOLOGY AND LEARNING THEORY, HUMAN ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT AND BEHAVIORAL PATHOLOGIES, THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT AND CRIME, AND PSYCHOBIOLOGY AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. QUESTIONS REGARDING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR YET TO BE ADDRESSED BY RESEARCHERS ARE IDENTIFIED. A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ENCOMPASSING THEORIES OF BEHAVIOR IN GENERAL, CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, AND CRIME IS OFFERED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)