NCJ Number
41425
Journal
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CORRECTIONS Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1977) Pages: 192-195
Date Published
1977
Length
4 pages
Annotation
'THE NEW CRIMINOLOGY' BY TAYLOR, WALTON, AND YOUNG WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE CONTROVERSY SINCE THE INTELLECTUAL CLIMATE AMONG CRIMINOLOGISTS OFFERS FERTILE GROUND FOR DEBATE OVER THIS NEO-MARXIAN APPROACH TO CRIMINOLOGY.
Abstract
SOME OF THE STRENGTHS OF THE BOOK ARE OBVIOUS. IT IS AN ARTICULATE ADDITION TO THAT LITERATURE WHICH FOCUSES ON ACTIVITIES LEADING TO THE CRIMINALIZATION OF CERTAIN 'BEHAVIORS,' WHILE FAILING TO CRIMINALIZE OTHER ACTIONS WHICH ARE OBVIOUSLY HARMFUL TO SOCIETY, AND ON THE SELECTION OF CERTAIN 'INDIVIDUALS' FOR CRIMINAL LABELING. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE BASIC WEAKNESSES: 1) 'THE NEW CRIMINOLOGY' MAY LEAD TO INTELLECTUAL FEUDS WHICH WILL GENERATE MORE HEAT THAN LIGHT; 2) THE AUTHORS SEEM VERY RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY OTHERS OR TO VIEW THEM AS STEPPING STONES TO MORE ADEQUATE EXPLANATION; AND 3) THE AUTHORS DO NOT MAKE IT CLEAR HOW ONE CAN TELL THAT 'TRUTH' HAS BEEN DISCOVERED. BY WAY OF ILLUSTRATING THESE CONCERNS, ISSUE IS TAKEN WITH THE THEIR INTERPRETATION OF AUSTIN TURK'S 'CRIMINALITY AND THE LEGAL ORDER.' --SUMMARY IN ENGLISH AND FRENCH...ELW