NCJ Number
12616
Journal
CRIME AND DELINQUENCY LITERATURE Volume: 5 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1973) Pages: 607-626
Date Published
1973
Length
20 pages
Annotation
NEW THEORIES REJECT TREATMENT IDEOLOGY, VIEW CRIME AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SOCIETY, AND ASSOCIATE SELECTION OF OFFENDERS FOR PUNISHMENT WITH SOCIAL CLASS.
Abstract
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY HAS PROGRESSED IN STAGES PARALLEL TO THE THREE LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN AMERICA AS DEFINED BY CHARLES REICH. CONSCIOUSNESS I IS CHARACTERIZED BY A SYSTEM OF BELIEFS THAT HOLDS THAT SUCCESS COMES TO THOSE OF MORAL CHARACTER WHO WORK HARD AND PRACTICE SELF-DENIAL. CONSCIOUSNESS II CREATES A STATE IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL HAS TO MAKE HIS WAY IN A WORLD DIRECTED BY OTHERS. CONSCIOUSNESS III MAINTAINS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS THE TRUE REALITY, AND IT ASSERTS THE POWER TO CHOOSE A WAY OF LIFE. THE AUTHOR ASSOCIATES THE CLASSICAL SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY (BASED ON FREE WILL) WITH THE FIRST LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS, THE POSITIVIST SCHOOL (DETERMINISM) WITH THE SECOND LEVEL, AND THE EMERGING INTERACTIONIST SCHOOL WITH THE THIRD LEVEL. THIS NEW SCHOOL REJECTS THE TREATMENT IDEOLOGY ON SEVERAL GROUNDS INCLUDING ITS INEFFECTIVENESS. A DISCUSSION ON HIDDEN CRIME STUDIES (BASED ON SELF-REPORTING) SHOWS THE FAILURE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CRIMINALS AND NONCRIMINALS. THIS NEW CRIMINOLOGY THROUGH SELECTION OF OFFENDERS FOR PUNISHMENT HAS SHOWN A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PUNISHED OFFENDERS AND LOW SOCIAL CLASS. THE THEORIES OF NUMEROUS CRIMINOLOGISTS OF THE THIRD LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS ARE PRESENTED AND THESE SHOW THAT THE NEW CRIMINOLOGY CONCENTRATES ON THE DEFINITION OF CRIME AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SOCIETY.