IMAGE OF THE CRIMINAL - A CRITIQUE OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY THEORIES (FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE AS A SYSTEM READINGS, 1975 BY ALAN R COFFEY AND VERNON E RENNER- SEE NCJ-29171)

• NCJ Number: 29172
• Author(s): T G POVEDA
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 25 pages
• Corporate Author: Prentice Hall
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ATTACKING THE 'CRIMINAL-TYPE THEORY', THE AUTHOR CONTENDS THAT THE BIAS WHICH PERMEATES CRIMINOLOGICAL THOUGHT STEMS FROM AN INACCURATE CULTURAL STEREOTYPING (POOR, LOWER CLASS, SLUM DWELLER) OF OUR LAW VIOLATORS.

Abstract

TO SUPPORT THIS ARGUMENT, HE PRESENTS AN HISTORICAL PROGRESSION OF THE THEORIES OF CRIME, AND DELINQUENCY AND EXAMINES THE SELECTION PROCESS USED BY POLICE IN DECIDING WHO IS TO BE ARRESTED. THE AUTHOR MAINTAINS THAT CRIME AND DELINQUENCY THEORIES FOCUS UNNECESSARILY ON LOWER CLASS CRIMINALITY, THUS PERPETUATING THE NOTION THAT THERE ARE CRIMINAL TYPES, I.E., LAW-ABIDING AND LAW-BREAKING CITIZENS WHO MAY BE DISTINGUISHED BY CERTAIN FEATURES. HE ALLEGES THAT THIS STEREOTYPING OF THE CRIMINAL HAS ITS ROOTS IN THE TIME NEAR THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, WHEN THERE WAS A SHIFT IN AMERICAN VALUES AS PEOPLE MOVED FROM THE FARMS TO THE CITIES AND THE CITIES CAME TO BE IDENTIFIED AS THE SEEDBEDS OF CRIME. IT IS SHOWN THAT THE IDEA THAT CRIME WAS A PRODUCT OF THE POOR LOWER-CLASS SLUMS PREVAILED UNTIL MIDDLE-CLASS DELINQUENCY, PARTICULARLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEW LEFT AND THE 'HIPPIE/DRUG MOVEMENT' OF THE EARLY 1960'S BECAME EVIDENT. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.