NCJ Number
66016
Journal
American Sociological Review Volume: 45 Issue: 1 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1980) Pages: 111-122
Date Published
1980
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER ATTEMPTS TO ANALYZE THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF SOVIET CRIMINALITY WHICH RESULTS FROM SOCIAL CONTROL MEASURES EXERCISED OVER THE MOBILITY AND RESIDENCE OF THE POPULATION.
Abstract
THE ANALYSIS IS BASED ON MORE THAN A YEAR'S STUDY IN THE SOVIET UNION, EXTENSIVE READING OF BOTH PUBLISHED AND CLASSIFIED SOVIET CRIMINOLOGICAL SCHOLARSHIP, AND CONVERSATION WITH NUMEROUS SCHOLARS IN THE USSR. THE STUDY FOUND THAT THE INTERNAL SOVIET PASSPORT SYSTEM AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF MOVING TO LARGE CITIES (DUE TO GOVERNMENTAL RESTRICTIONS) HAVE AFFECTED THE SOVIET CRIME PROBLEM IN TWO WAYS. FIRST, THE GREATEST DEGREE OF CRIMINALITY HAS BEEN SHIFTED AWAY FROM THE BIG, OLDER CITIES TO THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED CITIES OF THE FAR EAST AND THE FAR NORTH AND TO THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING SMALLER URBAN AREAS. SECOND, THE COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING THE MAJOR CITIES ARE NOT THE PRIVILEGED RETREAT OF THE PROSPEROUS FROM URBAN PROBLEMS BUT ARE THE HOMES OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO COMMUTE LONG HOURS TO THEIR SCHOOLS AND JOBS. HOWEVER, THEIR CRIMES ARE COMMITTED IN THE URBAN COMMUNITIES TO WHICH THEY COMMUTE, RATHER THAN IN THE SUBURBS. THUS, THE POPULATION CONTROLS AND INTERNAL PASSPORT SYSTEM IN THE USSR HAVE RESULTED IN A DISTRIBUTION OF CRIME WHICH IS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THAT FOUND IN MOST INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES. A REDUCTION IN THE CRIME RATE OF MAJOR SOVIET CITIES HAS BEEN ACHIEVED ONLY AT THE SOCIAL COST OF REDUCING PERSONAL FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND CAUSING INCREASED PROBLEMS OF CRIMINALITY IN MORE REMOTE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. A TABLE, FOOTNOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)