NCJ Number
44676
Journal
Contemporary Crises Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1977) Pages: 37-51
Date Published
1977
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THE IMPORTANCE OF CRIMINOLOGY IN UNDERSTANDING AND CHANGING SOCIETY IS DISCUSSED IN A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURE AND UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS OF THE CONCEPT OF RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY.
Abstract
AT QUESTION IS THE VALIDITY OF CRIMINOLOGY AS A RADICAL FORM OF SOCIAL THEORY. THE MOST ADVANCED PROPONENTS OF THE RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY PERSPECTIVE ARE SAID TO BE TAYLOR, WALTON, AND YOUNG. IN EXAMINING THE ASSUMPTIONS UPON WHICH THESE AUTHORS BASED THEIR WORK AND IN CONSIDERING THE STATUS THEY GIVE TO CRIMINOLOGY, THE FOLLOWING ARGUMENTS ARE POSED: (1) CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIME ARE NOT AREAS OR RESOURCES WORTHY OF STUDY FOR A RADICAL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING (CAPITALISTIC) SOCIAL ARRANGEMENTS; (2) AS SOCIAL SCIENTISTS BECOME CONCERNED WITH THE OBJECTS (MODE OF PRODUCTION, ETC.) THAT WILL ALLOW RADICAL ANALYSIS, CRIME AND CRIMINOLOGY BECOME PERIPHERAL AND MARGINAL; AND (3) THIS POSITION IS LOGICALLY ENTAILED BY ADOPTION OF THE THEORETICAL STRUCTURE (MARXISM) UPON WHICH TAYLOR, WALTON, AND YOUNG POSIT THEIR RADICALISM. TAYLOR, WALTON, AND YOUNG ARE CRITICIZED FOR FAILING TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE PURPOSES OF STUDY AND THE OBJECTS OF STUDY. THEIR EMPHASIS ON PURPOSES IS SAID TO RENDER THEIR WORK EPISTEMOLOGICALLY REDUCTIONIST AND LIMITED IN POTENTIAL FOR RADICALISM. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE WORK OF TAYLOR, WALTON, AND YOUNG FALLS VICTIM TO THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL AND MORAL RELATIVISM THEY THEMSELVES CRITICIZE IN OTHER THEORIES OF CRIMINOLOGY. CONSEQUENTLY THE THORETICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THEIR CONCEPTION OF RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY ARE RESTRICTED TO A REIFICATION OF PERSONAL MORAL OUTRAGE AT THE INEQUALITIES OF CAPITALIST SOCIETY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)