NCJ Number
51402
Date Published
1977
Length
279 pages
Annotation
THESE SUMMARIES, SUBMITTED TO THE SIXTH CONGRESS OF THE ITALIAN CRIMINOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF 1977, ILLUMINATE SOCIOECONOMIC CAUSES FOR CRIME, ESPECIALLY FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.
Abstract
FIRST, PAPERS ANALYZE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SOCIOECONOMIC PROBLEMS OF ITALY AND CRIME AND SHOW THAT THE PROFOUND INEQUALITIES BETWEEN THE HIGHLY INDUSTRIALIZED, AFFLUENT, URBAN NORTH AND THE UNDERDEVELOPED, INDIGENT, RURAL SOUTH CAUSED THE LARGE-SCALE IMMIGRATION OF SEMILITERATE, UNSKILLED, AND SOCIALLY BACKWARD SOUTHERNERS TO THE CITIES OF NORTHERN ITALY, ESPECIALLY MILAN, WHERE THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE LABOR FORCE WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY RESENTED, EXPLOITED, AND ISOLATED INTO URBAN GHETTOES; THIS NEGATIVE ACCULTURATION DROVE MANY SOUTHERN IMMIGRANTS TO CRIME. FURTHER ETIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THIS PROBLEM ARE EXAMINED IN STUDIES ON ENVIRONMENTS FOR EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED YOUTHS AND ADULTS, INCLUDING PSYCHOPATHIC PERSONALITIES IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, IN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS, IN THEIR ORIGINAL COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHERN ITALY (THE LATTER INCLUDES A STUDY OF BANDITRY AND ITS CAUSES), AND IN THEIR NORTHERN ITALIAN CENTERS OF SETTLEMENT. A SECOND THEME FOR PAPERS INVOLVES THE PATHOLOGY OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR, ESPECIALLY AMONG JUVENILES, AND THE SOCIOMEDICAL PROGRAMS FOR ITS TREATMENT, EITHER ONGOING OR AT THE PLANNING STAGE, IN ITALY AS A WHOLE. THE ROLES OF PSYCHIATRISTS IN THE COURTS AND IN THE TREATMENT OF THE CRIMINALLY INSANE ARE DISCUSSED. THE FINAL CATEGORY COMPRISES SUMMARIES ON SOCIOCULTURAL CHANGES AND NEW FORMS OF JUVENILE DEVIANCE AND CRIME, RANGING FROM THE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS OF CHILDREN AND PRE-ADOLESCENTS TO FULL-FLEDGED JUVENILE CRIME. CASE HISTORIES ARE GIVEN TO ILLUSTRATE THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF TRANSSEXUALS (AS DISTINGUISHED FROM HOMOSEXUALS), FOR WHICH SEX-CHANGE SURGERY IS SUGGESTED AS A REMEDY. NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES, BROKEN HOMES, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS ARE LISTED AS CAUSES OF JUVENILE CRIME. A SURPRISING PATTERN EMERGING FROM THE PAPERS IS THE DECREASE OF SERIOUS CRIMES OF VIOLENCE AMONG JUVENILES (MURDER, FELONIOUS ASSAULT, RAPE) AND THE RELATIVE ABSENCE OF PURPOSELESS GANG VIOLENCE. ON THE OTHER HAND, A NEW FORM OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE HAS EMERGED, KIDNAPPING FOR RANSOM, WHICH HAS BEEN WIDELY PUBLICIZED IN ITALY AND ABROAD. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED IN FOOTNOTES. --IN ITALIAN. (LGR)