POLITICIZATION OF THE CRIMINAL OFFENDER - PRISONER PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME AND POLITICS

• NCJ Number: 44037
• Journal: CRIMINOLOGY - AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL Volume: 15 Issue: 3 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1977) Pages: 287-318
• Author(s): E S FAIRCHILD
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 22 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A POLITICAL MODEL OF CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS DEVELOPED AND EXPLORED EMPIRICALLY WITH DATA GATHERED IN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH 24 INMATES OF THE WASHINGTON PRISON SYSTEM.

Abstract

THE POLITICAL MODEL OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT ENCOMPASSES BOTH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POLITICAL ORDER AND CRIME IN GENERAL, AND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE CRIMINAL OFFENDER, THE OFFENDER'S CRIME, AND THE POLITICAL SYSTEM. THE MODEL HAS THREE MAJOR PROPOSITIONS: (1) THAT CRIME IS DEFINED AND CONTROLLED BY THOSE WHO CONTROL THE STATE AND BY THEIR AGENTS; (2) THAT SOCIAL PATHOLOGY WITHIN THE POLITICAL ORDER FOSTERS THE SITUATIONS THAT CREATE CRIME AND IS THEREFORE IMPLICATED IN, OR EVEN JUSTIFIES, CRIMINAL ACTION; AND (3) THAT THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF CRIME CAN BE INFLUENCED BY THE NATURE OF POLITICAL PERCEPTION AND CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE PART OF THE OFFENDER. THE INTERVIEW DATA SUGGEST THAT THE AVERAGE OFFENDER BRINGS TO PRISON POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE RESULTED IN ALIENATION, BUT NOT IDEOLOGICAL ESTRANGEMENT, FROM THE POLITICAL ORDER. THE OFFENDER'S ALIENATION IS REINFORCED BY HIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS. WHILE THE PRISON EXPERIENCE FURTHER REINFORCES THE OFFENDER'S GENERAL HOSTILITY ALIENATION, IT ALSO LEADS TO GREATER CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF POLITICAL FACTORS IN BRINGING ABOUT CHANGE. IN RESPONSE TO SUCH SOCIALIZATION EXPERIENCES, OFFENDERS ARE LIKELY TO FIND A POLITICAL MODEL OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT -- ONE WHICH STRESSES SYSTEMIC INVOLVEMENT AND PATHOLOGY -- MORE IN TUNE WITH THEIR PERCEPTIONS THAN A MODEL STRESSING INDIVIDUAL PATHOLOGY AND THE NEED FOR REHABILITATION. POLITICAL AUTHORITIES AND PRISON ADMINISTRATORS ARE LIKELY TO FIND THE POLITICAL MODEL THREATENING. THE RESULT MAY BE INCREASING CONFLICT BETWEEN PRISON ADMINISTRATORS AND THEIR CLIENTS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).