NCJ Number
68178
Journal
CUADERNOS PANAMENOS DE CRIMINOLOGIA Volume: 5 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1976) Pages: 9-20
Date Published
1976
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE VARIOUS RESEARCH PROJECTS CONDUCTED BY THE INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY ESTABLISHED IN 1968 AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PENAL AND CRIMINOLOGICAL SCIENCES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA.
Abstract
THE INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY BEGAN ITS SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS RESEARCH IN 1971, WHEN THE UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA JOINED THE NATIONAL EFFORT TO COMBAT AN ALARMING INCREASE IN QUANTITY AND SERIOUSNESS. THE INSTITUTE WAS TO STUDY THE ETIOLOGY OF CRIME AT THE ACADEMIC LEVEL ACCORDING TO STRICTLY SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES AND RECOMMEND GENERAL AND SPECIFIC CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES. ALTHOUGH APPLICABLE TO WORLDWIDE PROBLEMS, THE INSTITUTE'S RESEARCH HAS FOCUSED ON PANAMANIAN SOCIETY. IT INVESTIGATES THE CRIME PHENOMENOM WITH SCIENTIFIC RIGOR, USING THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH, COMBINING THE RELEVANT PRINCIPLES AND FINDINGS OF SOCIOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY, SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY, POLITICAL SCIENCE, AND LAW. THE INSTITUTE'S RESEARCH IS BASED A DEFINITION OF CRIME IN TERMS OF ITS LEGAL IMPLICATIONS. THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN PANAMA IS ENTRUSTED TO A NUMBER OF CRIMINAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE (CIVIL) COURTS. ALTHOUGH CRIME STATISTICS APPEAR TO INDICATE HIGH RATES FOR CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS AND PROPERTY, CHARACTERIZING PANAMANIAN SOCIETY AS A HIGHLY CRIMINOGENIC ENVIRONMENT, PRISON STATISTICS INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF ACCESSORY TO CRIME, WITHOUT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE NUMBERS RELEASED WHEN CHARGES ARE DROPPED. URBAN AREAS ARE THE MOST CRIMINOGENIC ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL TYPES OF CRIME, WHEREAS RURAL AREAS ARE RELATIVELY CRIME-FREE, WITH THE CRIMES THAT DO OCCUR DIVIDED BETWEN CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS (HOMICIDE AND MURDER) AND PROPERTY CRIMES (THEFT AND CATTLE THEFT). THE INSTITUTE HAS CONDUCTED RESEARCH ON MALE ADULT CRIMINALITY, ARRIVING AT A TYPOLOGY OF ADULT MALE OFFENDERS ON THE BASIS OF THREE EMPIRICAL STUDIES: INMATES OF A LOCAL ISLAND PENITENTIARY; HABITUAL OFFENDERS (THEFT AND ROBBERY): AND MARIJUANA USERS AND DEALERS. ANOTHER GROUP OF INVESTIGATIONS BY THE CRIMINOLOGY INSTITUTE CONCERNED CRIME PATTERNS IN PANAMA: ADULT FEMALE OFFENDER; JUVENILE DELINQUENTS; CRIME VICTIMS IN PANAMA CITY; TELEVISION PROGRAMS IN PANAMA (ANALYZED FROM A CRIMINOLOGICAL VIEWPOINT POPULATION DENSITY AND CRIME IN PANAMA. A SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS IS GIVEN FOR EACH PROJECT LISTED. --IN SPANISH (LGR)