SOCIAL CHANGE AND CRIMINALITY

• NCJ Number: 61437
• Journal: International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1979) Pages: 79-94
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Wichita State University
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PREPARED BY THE SECRETARIAT OF THE UNITED NATIONS FOR THE THIRD UNITED NATIONS CONGRESS ON THE PREVENTION OF CRIME AND THE TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS, STOCKHOLM, AUGUST 9-18, 1965

Annotation

THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL CHANGE, PARTICULARLY THE RATE OF CHANGE, ON HUMAN BEHAVIOR IS DISCUSSED IN THIS REPORT BY THE SECRETARIAT OF THE UNITED NATIONS.

Abstract

SOCIAL CHANGE CONSISTS OF CHANGES IN BASIC SOCIETAL INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS FAMILY, RELIGION, AND EDUCATION, WHICH IMPART THE NORMS AND BEHAVIORAL CONDITIONING CHARACTERISTICS OF A CULTURE. CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR INVOLVES DEVIATION FROM THESE NORMS. ALL SOCIETIES APPARENTLY MOVE FROM TIGHT INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRATION TO SOCIAL DISINTEGRATION WHEN INSTITUTIONS NO LONGER INTERLOCK OR REINFORCE EACH OTHER. THESE CHANGES CAN EITHER RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN ECONOMIC WEALTH, MATERIAL COMFORT, AND KNOWLEDGE OR LEAVE INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPING ETHICAL BEHAVIORAL NORMS; THUS SOCIETIES IN CHANGE ARE VULNERABLE TO INJUSTICES, POWER IMBALANCES, AND AN ABSENCE OF MORAL PRIORITIES IN SOCIOECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INTERACTIONS. WITH THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE MORAL INFLUENCE OF THE FAMILY, THE SCHOOL, AND THE CHURCH, THE FORMAL INSTITUTION OF LAW AND ITS ENFORCING INSTRUMENTS TENT TO ASSUME PRIORITY. LAWS, WHICH CAN BE ENACTED RELATIVELY QUICKLY, TEND TO MULTIPLY IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE NORMS FOR THE NEW SITUATIONS OF CONFLICT AND INJUSTICE PRESENTED BY RAPID SOCIOECONOMIC CHANGE. ALSO, ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS WITH RESPECT TO TRADITIONAL LAWS WILL NEED TO BE INCREASED WITH THE FAILURE OF SELF-REGULATION CHARACTERISTIC OF STABLE SOCIAL STRUCTURES. LAWS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, HOWEVER, CANNOT WILL THE VACUUM LEFT FROM THE DISINTEGRATION OF SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS WHICH HAVE PRESIDED OVER THE DAILY LIFE OF COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS. IN THE MIDST OF RAPID SOCIAL CHANGE, LAW MUST ALWAYS BE AN EMERGENCY MEASURE UNTIL SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS CAN BE REBUILT THROUGH EDUCATION, STRONG MORAL LEADERSHIP, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES BASED ON COMMON MORAL VALUES. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)