NCJ Number
68235
Journal
Ilanud al Dia Volume: 2 Issue: 6 Dated: (DECEMBER 1979) Pages: 16-25
Date Published
1979
Length
10 pages
Annotation
NEW WAYS TO REDUCE CRIME ARE EXPLORED WITHIN THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF SOME ADMITTEDLY CONTROVERSIAL CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES, AND EDUCATION OF CRIMINALS, AS WELL AS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT CRIME IS RECOMMENDED.
Abstract
AN AUSTRALIAN CRIMINOLOGIST BLAMES THE INEFFECTUAL APPROACH TAKEN TO THE MODIFICATION OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR IN MANY COUNTRIES ON THE PASSIVE ACCEPTANCE OF CRIME AS A FACT OF LIFE. AT LEAST SOME FORMS OF CRIMINALIZED CONDUCT ON THE PART OF SOCIALLY HANDICAPPED AND MARGINAL INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE VIEWED AS THEIR WAY TO COPE WITH A WORLD WHICH HAS NO PLACE FOR THEM. GIVING THESE SOCIALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE EDUCATION AND REALISTIC TRAINING SHOULD RESULT IN REDUCED CRIME RATES. SEXUAL OFFENDERS COULD ALSO BE HELPED, ESPECIALLY BY ADEQUATE SEX EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS. DRUNK DRIVING AND TRAFFIC OFFENSES ARE AMONG THE FEW TYPES OF ANTISOCIAL CONDUCT THAT COULD BE REDUCED BY STRICTER LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MORE SEVERE PENALTIES. DRUG-RELATED CRIMES, ON THE OTHER HAND, COULD BE EFFECTIVELY REDUCED BY DECRIMINALIZATION OF DRUG USE AND BY EDUCATION ON THE EFFECTS OF THEIR ABUSE. ABANDONED CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE LABELED AND STIGMATIZED AS DELINQUENT, BUT SHOULD BE PROTECTED AND HELPED BY GOVERNMENT - AND COMMUNITY-OPERATED PROGRAMS. THE SOCIALLY HANDICAPPED (E.G., HOMOSEXUALS, PROSTITUTES, ALCOHOLICS, VAGRANTS, VOYEURS, EXHIBITIONISTS) SHOULD BE TREATED AND EDUCATED, NOT PENALIZED. PUBLIC ATTITUDES, GENERALLY FAVORING REPRESSIVE AND PUNITIVE MEASURES TOWARDS OFFENDERS, SHOULD BE CHANGED BY EDUCATION ON THE CAUSES OF WHAT WE CALL CRIME AND ITS REAL NATURE; LAWABIDING CITIZENS SHOULD ALSO BE MADE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT ADDING NEW LAWS TO OUR ALREADY INFLATED CRIMINAL CODES IS NOT A REMEDY TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS. A CONTROVERSIAL THEORY BY AN AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIST, LINKING DENIAL OF SEXUAL PLEASURE IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE TO MATURE AGGRESSION AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR, IS QUOTED AT LENGTH, ALTHOUGH WITH THE CAUTION THAT ITS ACCEPTANCE WOULD INVOLVE DRASTIC AND POSSIBLY CHAOTIC CHANGES IN OUR SOCIETY BASED ON CHRISTIAN MORALITY. OTHER CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES DISCUSSED HERE ARE THE ROLE OF SEX THERAPISTS IN SEXUAL ADJUSTMENT AND THE EFFECTS ON CRIME OF THE PORTRAYAL OF SEX AND VIOLENCE IN THE MASS MEDIA AND TELEVISION. THE STUDY CONCLUDES THAT TOTAL REFORMS OF CURRENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS ARE BADLY NEEDED, BUT CANNOT BE IMPLEMENTED UNLESS PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS CRIMINALIZED CONDUCT ARE CHANGED THROUGH ENLIGHTENMENT AND EDUCATION. --IN SPANISH.