NCJ Number
46964
Date Published
1977
Length
20 pages
Annotation
A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF BANFIELD'S THEORY OF THE ROLE TIME PREFERENCE PLAYS IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR EVALUATES ITS BASIS IN ECONOMIC THEORY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE STANDARD ECONOMIC LITERATURE ON CRIME.
Abstract
AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF BANFIELD'S THEORY OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS HIS ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL CLASS. HIS 'CLASS' IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO SHARE A DISTINCT PATTERNING OF ATTITUDES, VALUES, AND MODES OF BEHAVIOR, NOT PEOPLE OF LIKE INCOME, OCCUPATION, OR STATUS. HIS DESCRIPTION OF THE PATHOLOGY OF THE LOWER CLASS PERSON IS OF A PERSON WITH LITTLE AWARENESS OF A FUTURE AND BEHAVIOR GOVERNED BY IMPULSE, WHO IS IMPROVIDENT AND PRESENT-ORIENTED. HIS LIFE IS A CONSTANT SEARCH FOR ACTION. CRIME, WHICH IS EXCITING AND OFFERS IMMEDIATE REWARDS, IS AN ATTRACTIVE WAY OF LIFE FOR HIM. TIME HORIZON, AN IMPORTANT PERSONALITY FACTOR UPON WHICH BANFIELD'S DEFINITION OF CLASS IS DEPENDENT, REFERS TO THE TIME PERSPECTIVE AN INDIVIDUAL TAKES IN ESTIMATING THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF ALTERNATIVE COURSE OF ACTION. THE SHORTER ONE'S TIME HORIZON, THE LESS LIKELY ONE IS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT CONSEQUENCES THAT LIE IN THE FUTURE. BANFIELD'S ANALYSIS IS WELL GROUNDED IN CONTEMPORARY ECONOMIC THEORY. HOWEVER, IN EMPHASIZING THE FACTOR OF TIME PREFERENCE, HE GOES BEYONG THE CURRENT LITERATURE ON THE ECONOMICS OF CRIME. HIS RESULTS CAST DOUBT ON THE RELEVANCE OF THE STANDARD MODELS OF RATIONAL CALCULATION, AS THEY SUGGEST THAT THE ACTIONS OF A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE CRIMINAL CLASS MAY NOT FRUITFULLY BE ANALYZED IN SUCH TERMS. THE CHIEF CRITICISM OF BANFIELD'S APPROACH OFFERED HERE IS THAT IT SHARES THE UTILITARIAN BIAS OF MUCH OF THE LITERATURE ON ECONOMIC POLICY. THE AUTHOR BRIEFLY NOTES THE PHILOSOPHICAL CASE AGAINST UTILITARIANISM AS A MORAL PHILOSOPHY AND POINTS OUT SOME OF ITS SCIENTIFIC ERRORS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (VDA)