NCJ Number
66474
Journal
SOUTH AFRICA JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL LAW AND CRIMINOLOGY Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (1979) Pages: 37-42
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
WRITTEN FROM A SOUTH AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE AND USING SOUTH AFRICAN TERMINOLOGY, THIS ARTICLE ANALYZES THE FOUR POPULATION GROUPS IN SOUTH AFRICA, GROUP CONDUCT NORMS AND THE CRIMINAL LAW.
Abstract
ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, THE BLACK AND ASIAN POPULATION GROUPS HAVE DEVELOPED SETS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS WITHIN A SITUATION OF CONFLICT BETWEEN THEIR CULTURE AND THE WHITE CULTURE. THE BLACKS AND ASIANS IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS COMING FROM SOCIETIES WITH A POLITICAL AND CULTURAL IDENTITY WITH VERY OLD AND DEEP ROOTS. AMONG THE BLACKS, THE CULTURE CONFLICT WITH THE DOMINANT CULTURE (WHITE CULTURE) HAS DEVELOPED INTO A SITUATION OF TRANSITION CHARACTERIZED BY REJECTION OF THE WHITES' SYSTEM AND DISORGANIZATION OF THE BLACKS' TRADITIONAL SYSTEM. AMONG THE ASIANS, THE CULTURE CONFLICT WITH THE WHITES' CULTURE PROMOTED AN INCREASE OF INNER COHESIVENESS WHICH HAS DEVELOPED THE ASIAN'S CAPACITY FOR ACCOMMODATION AND CONTROL OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. BUT AMONG COLOREDS AND WHITES CULTURE CONFLICTS ARE NOT BETWEEN TWO MAIN CULTURES BUT WITHIN A CULTURE, BETWEEN WHITES' CONVENTIONAL CULTURE AND 'DEVIANT SUBCULTURES'. THE COLOREDS TEND TO DEVELOP A NEGATIVISTIC PATTERN OF VALUES AS A REACTION AGAINST THE LARGER CULTURE WHICH REJECTS THEM AND BLOCKS THEIR OPPORTUNITIES OF ACHIEVING SUCCESS THROUGH LEGAL MEANS, WHEREAS THE WHITES GENERALLY INTEGRATE FORMS OF CULTURAL CONFLICT INTO THE CONVENTIONAL ORDER. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)