NCJ Number
49823
Journal
Journal of Psychiatry and Law Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1976) Pages: 61-104
Date Published
1976
Length
44 pages
Annotation
A CROSS-CULTURAL EXAMINATION OF CRIME IS PRESENTED, AND DIVERGENT FRAMES OF REFERENCE USED TO EXPLAIN CRIME AND RECIDIVISM ARE CONSIDERED.
Abstract
THEORIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSAL FACTORS IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, DELINQUENCY, AND PREVENTION ARE DISCUSSED FOR SPECIFIC GROUPS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND FOR GROUPS IN JAPAN, CANADA, AND CHINA. IT IS FOUND THAT SOCIOLOGICAL AND SIMPLISTIC PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES FOR CRIME AND DELINQUENCY FAIL TO EXPLAIN VARIATION IN INDIVIDUAL OUTCOME UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS. SEVERAL STUDIES OF DELINQUENCY AND RECIDIVISM ARE REVIEWED, AND A TYPICAL COMPOSITE LIFE HISTORY OF MANY CHILDREN FROM DYSFUNCTIONAL OR DISORGANIZED FAMILIES IN A SLUM ENVIRONMENT WHO EVENTUALLY BECOME OFFENDERS IS DRAWN. PSYCHIATRIC CLASSIFICATION AND PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORIES ARE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED, AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE CRIMINAL SUPEREGO THEORY IS CONSIDERED. THE VARIOUS TYPOLOGIES CONSIDERED ILLUSTRATE THE PSYCHOANALYTIC VIEW OF BEHAVIOR AS A COMPLICATED VECTORIAL OUTCOME OF FORCES IN THE MIND SUCH THAT THE SAME CRIME MAY BE COMMITTED FOR DIFFERENT REASONS BY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS. IT IS MENTIONED THAT THE BORDERLINE AND NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY ORGANIZATIONS SO FREQUENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEPRIVED DISORGANIZED FAMILIES ARE RULED BY TENSION IMPELLING IMPULSIVE ACTION. THESE PERSONS SUFFER FROM MALDEVELOPMENT OF THE EGO FUNCTIONS WHICH TOLERATE DELAY, FRUSTRATION, THINKING AND CHOICE. THREE TYPES OF CRIMINAL SUPEREGO ARE DISCUSSED. THE SYSTEMATIC TRANSLATION OF SOCIOLOGICAL DATA INTO PSYCHOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR ALL THREE AGENCIES OF THE MIND OF RECIDIVISTS IS REQUIRED FOR AND EXPLORATION OF THEIR BEHAVIOR. (DAG)