RETHINKING CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

• NCJ Number: 53663
• Journal: Across the Board Volume: 15 Issue: 9 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1978) Pages: 55-60
• Author(s): M E WOLFGANG
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: Conference Board Information Service
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: ABRIDGED VERSION OF AN ARTICLE IN DAEDALUS, WINTER 1978

Annotation

CHANGING RATES OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE ARE EXAMINED, AND FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN THE PREDICTION OF CRIME AND THE ROLE OF PREVENTION, DETERRENCE, REHABILITATION, AND PUNISHMENT IN CRIME REDUCTION ARE EXPLORED.

Abstract

IT IS COMMONPLACE TO REFER TO THE CULTURAL RELATIVITY OF CRIME. WITH A REDUCTION IN CRIMES OF VIOLENCE, PUBLIC CONCERN WILL MOST LIKELY SHIFT TO ORGANIZED AND WHITE COLLAR CRIMES BECAUSE INFORMATION OR KNOWLEDGE THEFT IS BECOMING A NEW FORM OF CRIMINALITY. COMPUTER TAPE THEFT, COMPUTER PROGRAM THEFT, AND CORPORATE INFORMATION BURGLARY ARE STYES OF CRIME PROMINENT IN THE 1970'S. EVEN THOUGH DEVIANCE MAY BE BOTH INEVITABLE AND ELASTIC, DEVIANCE IS INCREASINGLY BEING ACCEPTED IN RELATION TO A NARROWER DEFINITION OF CRIME. BY A CONSTRUCTION OF WHAT IS DEEMED DELINQUENT, CRIMINAL LAW WILL BE MADE MORE ENFORCEABLE. UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION HAVE BEEN THE MAJOR METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1930. DATA FROM THESE REPORTS SHOW THAT CRIMES OF VIOLENCE HAVE INCREASED BY 180 PERCENT BETWEEN 1960 AND 1978. THE FEAR OF CRIME, AS INDICATED IN A VARIETY OF LOCAL STUDIES, HAS PROBABLY INCREASED IN GREATER PROPORTION THAN THE RECORDED REALITY OF CRIME. THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES DIRECTLY RELATED TO CHANGING CRIME RATES, SUCH AS HIGH FERTILITY RATES AFTER WORLD WAR II. THE MAJOR CRIME CONTROL SYSTEM IN WESTERN CIVILIZATION HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN THAT OF RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION. WITH THE INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND THE VALUE PLACED ON POLITICAL EQUALITY, THIS TRADITIONAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN ALTERED. MAJOR PURPOSES OF PUNISHMENT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN RETRIBUTION, EXPIATION, DETERRENCE, REFORMATION, REHABILITATION, AND SOCIAL DEFENSE, BUT THE EFFICACY OF THE REHABILITATION MODEL IS BEING QUESTIONED. UNEMPLOYMENT, LOW LEVELS OF EDUCATION, POOR HOUSING, AND SIMILAR SOCIAL PROBLEMS AMONG THE WORKING CLASS ARE ISSUES THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ADDRESS WITH SECONDARY REFERENCE TO CRIME, BECAUSE THEY ARE MAJOR ISSUES CONCERNED WITH SOCIAL WELFARE. (DEP)