NCJ Number
11115
Date Published
1971
Length
407 pages
Annotation
COLLECTION OF READINGS BY LEADING PHILOSOPHERS AND SOCIAL SCIENTISTS, DISCUSSING CLASSICAL PUNISHMENT THEORIES RETRIBUTIVE, DETERRENT, REHABILITATIVE, AND INTEGRATIVE.
Abstract
THERE EXISTS TODAY A HIGH DEGREE OF PUBLIC AND INDIVIDUAL AMBIVALENCE TOWARD PUNISHMENT. THE SUSTAINED CONTROVERSY OVER THE DEATH PENALTY AND THE ERRATIC ENFORCEMENT OF VICE LAWS ARE TWO CASES IN POINT. THE EDITOR CONTENDS THAT DIFFERING APPROACHES TO CORRECTIONS CANNOT BE ARGUED TO AN ULTIMATE CONCLUSION BECAUSE OUR ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IS BASED ON AN AMALGAM OF CONFLICTING PUNISHMENT IDEOLOGIES. STILL OTHER FACTORS WHICH HE SEES CONTRIBUTING TO THE CONFUSED STATE OF AFFAIRS ARE PUBLIC INDIFFERENCE AND INSENSITIVITY TO MANY PHASES OF THE CRIME PROBLEM. THE EDITOR CONCLUDES THAT PROGRESS TOWARD UNIFYING OUR PENAL POLICY CANNOT BE MADE WITHOUT INFORMED AND COMPREHENSIVE CONSIDERATION OF THE ISSUES AND OBJECTIVES OF SENTENCING, CORRECTIONS, AND PUNISHMENT THEORY IN GENERAL. THE COLLECTION OF READINGS IN THIS VOLUME, WRITTEN BY INTERNATIONAL AUTHORITIES ON THE SUBJECT OF PUNISHMENT THEORY, IS DESIGNED TO AID IN SUCH CONSIDERATION. MATERIALS ARE ORGANIZED AROUND THE CLASSICAL THEORIES OF PUNISHMENT - RETRIBUTION, DETERRENCE, REHABILITATION, AND THE INTEGRATIVE THEORY. EACH SECTION CONTAINS ARTICLES WHICH ARGUE FOR, CRITICALLY EXAMINE, OR EMPIRICALLY INVESTIGATE A PARTICULAR THEORY. WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, EACH SELECTION IS PRESENTED IN ITS ENTIRETY SO THAT THE AUTHOR'S REASONING IS RETAINED. THE THEORIES DISCUSSED EXIST AS IDEALS OR MODELS AND SERVE AS POINTS OF REFERENCE FOR GENERATING AND EVALUATING PUNISHMENT PROCEDURES. IN THAT LIGHT, THIS VOLUME WILL BE OF PARTICULAR VALUE TO CRIMINOLOGISTS, PENOLOGISTS, LAWYERS, JUDGES, SOCIOLOGISTS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)