NCJ Number
57505
Date Published
1978
Length
26 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES THE THEORETICAL PRECEPTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE MECHANISMS OF SOCIAL CONTROL, ESPECIALLY AS THEY RELATE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNDERSOCIALIZED BUT NOT PSYCHOPATHIC.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH THE FIELD OF PSYCHOLOGY HAS MADE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF PSYCHOPATHY, VERY LITTLE INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED CONCERNING THOSE PERSONS WHO ARE STILL SUSCEPTIBLE TO SOCIAL INFLUENCE, AND YET COMMIT CRIMES. PSYCHOLOGY OUGHT TO RECOGNIZE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN OFFENDERS AND THEIR SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT. LEARNING THEORIES MUST BE DEVELOPED THAT WILL INCLUDE ANALYSIS OF THE PROCESSES BY WHICH INDIVIDUALS LEARN TO REFRAIN FROM CATEGORIES OF BEHAVIOR THAT ARE DISAPPROVED OF BY SOCIETY. THE CONCEPT OF CRIMINALITY MUST ALSO REFLECT CONSIDERATION OF THE FUNCTION OF INTERNAL AND EXTRINSIC CONTROLS ON INDIVIDUALS. SOCIALLY-BASED INHIBITIONS ARE CLEARLY INDEPENDENT OF IMMEDIATE SITUATIONS, AND IN MOST PERSONS THE SOCIAL CONTROLS THAT PREVENT CRIMINALITY ARE INHERENT IN THEIR PRIOR BEHAVIOR, RATHER THAN BEING A FUNCTION OF PRESENT LIKELIHOOD OF PUNISHMENT. IN EXPANDING EXPERIMENTAL HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH TOWARDS ITS PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS, RESEARCHERS WILL HAVE TO REVALIDATE MODELS. IN ADDITION, VARIABLES THAT WERE TREATED AS INDEPENDENT IN LABORATORIES WILL LIKELY BE FOUND TO INTERACT IN THE COMPLEX CONDITIONS OF THE SOCIAL WORLD. FURTHER AREAS OF DISCUSSION INCLUDE THE ROLE OF JUDICIAL PENALTIES IN THE CONTROL OF CRIME AND THE MODIFICATION OF CRIMINALITY BY POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT OF SOCIABLE BEHAVIOR. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)