STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM (FROM ISSUES AND METHODOLOGY, 1976, BY YVES BRILLON ET AL - SEE NCJ-55366)

• NCJ Number: 55967
• Author(s): Y BRILLON
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 84 pages
• Corporate Author: Universite de Montreal, Centre International de Criminologie Comparee
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: French
• Country: Canada

Annotation

THE OBJECTIVES AND MODEL FOR A PROPOSED RESEARCH PROJECT ON THE ATTITUDE OF THE CANADIAN PUBLIC TOWARD CRIME AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE OUTLINED.

Abstract

IN CANADA, AS IN OTHER COUNTRIES, A RAPID RISE IN CRIME HAS LED TO A CRISIS OF JUSTICE, RESULTING IN THE INABILITY OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO HANDLE THE CASE LOAD AND A SIMULANEOUS LIBERALIZATION OF SENTENCING, WITH DISPARITIES ARISING BETWEEN THE IDEAL OBJECTIVES OF THE SYSTEM AND THE RESULTS ACHIEVED. BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTIES IN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING POLICIES OF SOCIAL DEFENSE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE REACTIONS OF VARIOUS POPULATION GROUPS BE UNDERSTOOD. ATTITUDES TO BE ASSESSED RELATE TO THE GROWTH OF CRIME, TO UNREPORTED CRIMES, TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND TO DEFINITIONS OF DEVIANCE AS WELL AS APPLICATION OF SOCIAL NORMS. SUCH RESEARCH IS USEFUL FOR DEVELOPING LAW; CREATING A DIALECTIC AMONG JUSTICE, LAW, AND PUBLIC ATTITUDES; FURNISHING CRITERIA FOR MODIFICATION OF LAWS AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS; ESTABLISHING AN EMPIRICAL SOCIAL BASIS FOR CHANGE; PERMITTING EVALUATION OF THE LAWS' EFFECTIVENESS; AND UNCOVERING AREAS IN WHICH PUBLIC EDUCATION IS REQUIRED. ACCORDING TO THE MODEL PROPOSED, POLICIES TO BE CONSIDERED PERTAIN TO VIOLENT CRIME, CRIME PREVENTION, DECRIMINALIZATION, COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL MEASURES, JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, AND THE POLICE ROLE. ATTITUDE VARIABLES RECEIVING PARTICULAR ATTENTION ARE A GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF CRIME AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE PENAL PHILOSOPHY OF THE POPULATION, THE PUBLIC TOLERANCE LEVEL FOR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, PUBLIC ANXIETY BECAUSE OF CRIME, PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE SYSTEM, DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS, AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF CRIMINAL POLICY. IN THE PROJECT, THE INTERDEPENDENCE AMONG CRIMINAL POLICY, CRIME, AND PUBLIC ATTITUDES ARE TO BE EMPHASIZED; COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE, AND CONATIVE DIMENSIONS OF ATTITUDE ARE TO BE STUDIED. THE INTEGRATED 5-YEAR PLAN INCLUDES LONGITUDINAL, HORIZONTAL, AND VERTICAL STUDIES WITH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE APPROACHES, REPLICATION, FOLLOWUPS, AND REFOCUSING OF THEMES. THREE SURVEYS ARE TO COVER THE GENERAL POPULATION, RURAL AND URBAN AND ETHNIC SUBGROUPS, AND GEOGRAPHIC AREAS ACCORDING TO POPULATION DENSITY AND CRIME RATE. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FIGURES ARE PROVIDED. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)