NCJ Number
67708
Journal
STAAT UND RECHT Volume: 26 Issue: 11 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1977) Pages: 1164-1167
Date Published
1977
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECTS OF BIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL ABNORMALITIES ON CRIME ARE DISCUSSED FROM A SOCIALIST PERSPECTIVE AND PREVENTIVE APPLICATION OR RESEARCH RESULTS IS RECOMMENDED.
Abstract
ILLNESS, E.G., MEMORY LOSS OR THE LOSS OF THE ABILITY TO PROCESS THEORETICAL INFORMATION, AFFECTS EVEN NORMAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS LEARNING AND DRIVING. SUCH REDUCED COMPETENCE CANNOT BE ENTIRELY COMPENSATED, AND IN THE CASE OF CRIMINAL OFFENDERS, REMOVAL OF NEGATIVE INFLUENCES FROM THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT CANNOT OFFSET BIOLOGICAL DEFICIENCIES. DEVIANT BEHAVIOR MUST BE CONSIDERED A SYMPTOM OF LIMITATIONS IN PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT. PREVENTIVE MEASURES SHOULD START WITH GENETIC COUNSELING AND THERAPEUTIC ABORTION IF NECESSARY, GOOD PRENATAL CARE, AND PARENT COUNSELING, AS WELL AS PROGRAMS FOR EARLY RECOGNITION OF LEARNING DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL LOVING CARE FOR LEARNING-DISABLED CHILDREN. PROBLEMS HINDERING EARLY DIAGNOSIS ARE FAILURE OF MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PARENTS TO RECOGNIZE SIMILAR DISABILITIES IN THEIR CHILDREN, RELUCTANCE OF PARENTS TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP IN DIAGNOSIS, AND MISINTERPRETATION OF LEARNING DISABLED CHILDREN (I.E., AS LAZY) BY TEACHERS, WHICH LEADS TO LABELING AND PERSONALITY CHANGES. THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT MUST BE CAREFULLY ANALYZED SO THAT TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND FELLOW WORKERS CAN DIFFERENTIATE PASSING PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS FROM INEVITABLE SOMATIC CHANGES AND KNOW WHEN TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE. ACTUAL BIOLOGICAL DISTURBANCES MUST BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN SOCIALIST SOCIETY SO THAT THE STATE CAN TAKE MEASURES TO DEFUSE THE CRIMINAL POTENTIAL OF SUCH DISTURBANCES. IT IS EMPHASIZED THAT BOTH BIOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITY MUST BE CONSIDERED FOR EARLY RECOGNITION OF DISTURBANCES, FOR SOCIAL REHABILITATION, AND FOR LEGAL ASSESSMENT OF INDIVIDUAL DEVIANCE. NOTES ARE SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)