NCJ Number
67118
Date Published
1978
Length
522 pages
Annotation
THIS BOOK DISCUSSES VARIOUS EXPLANATIONS OF CRIME AND CRIMINALITY, TRACES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONS ORGANIZATIONS, AND DEALS WITH RESEARCH ON THE BEHAVIOR SYSTEMS OF THE CRIMINALLY DEFINED.
Abstract
THE CENTRAL CONTENTION OF THIS INTRODUCTORY TEXT FOR CRIMINOLOGY COURSES IS THAT A COMPREHENSIVE THEORY OF CRIME AND CRIMINALITY CAN ACCOUNT FOR WHY PARTICULAR GROUPS BECOME CANDIDATES FOR OFFICIAL PROCESSING (THE IMPOSITION OF CRIMINAL STATUS) AND ALSO WHY THEY BEHAVE AS THEY DO. THE CONSENSUS, CONFLICT, AND INTEGRATED MODELS OF CRIMINOLOGY ARE EXPLORED IN AN EFFORT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHAT ROLE, IF ANY, INTEREST GROUPS PLAY IN LAW MAKING AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON SEVERAL THEORIES, SUCH AS ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL TRANSMISSION THEORIES, ANOMIE THEORIES, AND INTERACTIONIST AND CONFLICT APPROACHES, TO SHOW HOW THE THREE MODELS (CONSENSUS, CONFLICT, AND INTEGRATED) ANSWER QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE STRUCTURAL ORIGINS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. HOW PARTICULAR BEHAVIOR BECOMES LABELED 'CRIMINAL,' WHICH PARTS OF THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE SUPPLY A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF CRIME, AND THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THE CONSENSUS CONFLICT, AND INTEGRATED MODELS ARE ALSO CENTRAL QUESTIONS DEALT WITH IN THE MODELS. CHAPTERS ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CRIMINAL LAW PRESENT AND INTERPRET RESEARCH DONE ON POLICE, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS (THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM). AMONG THE SUBJECTS CONSIDERED ARE POLICE PROBLEMS, THE CRIMINAL COURT AS A BUREAUCRACY, THE FUNCTIONS OF CORRECTIONS, THE SOCIOLOGY OF PRISON LIFE, AND PRISON REFORM. NEXT, ANALYSES OF SEVEN BEHAVIOR SYSTEMS OF THE CRIMINALLY DEFINED EXAMINE VIOLENT PERSONAL BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING MURDER AND FORCIBLE RAPE; CONVENTIONAL-PROFESSIONAL CRIME SUCH AS ARMED ROBBERY, PROFESSIONAL THEFT, AND LARCENY; AND POLITICAL CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, ENCOMPASSING CRIMES AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT (TREASON, SEDITION, SABOTAGE, ETC.), AS WELL AS CRIME BY AGENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT (VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AS IN WAR CRIME, AND THE VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION). ALSO INVESTIGATED ARE CORPORATE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, PUBLIC ORDER CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, AND OCCUPATIONAL CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. FOR EACH OF THE MAJOR OFFENSE CATEGORIES, THE LEGAL DIMENSIONS ARE PRESENTED AS WELL AS THE OFFENSE'S PERVASIVENESS. SEVEN BRIEF LIFE HISTORIES ARE INCLUDED TO ILLUSTRATE THE TYPOLOGIES AND TO DISCUSS THEIR RELEVANCE TO THEORIES PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED. THE BOOK DETERMINES THAT FOR CRIMINOLOGY TO EMERGE AS A SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINE FOR CRIMINOLOGY FAR MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS MUST BE ACQUIRED AND SYNTHESIZED. TABLES, DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, CHAPTER SUMMARIES, AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (PRG)