TWO STUDIES OF LEGAL STIGMA (FROM CRIME AND DELINQUENCY, A READER, 1970 BY CARL A BERSANI - SEE NCJ-006248)

• NCJ Number: 10214
• Author(s): R D SCHWARTZ; J H SKOLNICK
• Date Published: 1962
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Macmillan
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM SOCIAL PROBLEMS, V 10, N 2 (FALL 1962), P 133-140

Annotation

A COMPARISON OF OCCUPATIONAL HARM AS RESULT OF A CRIMINAL COURT RECORD ON UNSKILLED WORKERS AND OF A MEDICAL MALPRACTICE SUIT ON DOCTORS.

Abstract

WHILE THE EXISTENCE OF A CRIMINAL RECORD CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL OCCUPATIONAL HARM TO UNSKILLED WORKERS, THE MALPRACTICE SUITS DID NOT DO WIDESPREAD OCCUPATIONAL DAMAGE TO THE DOCTORS INVOLVED. SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS ARE OFFERED TO CLARIFY THIS DISPARITY. ONE POSSIBLE EXPLANATION IS THAT DIVERSE MOTIVES OPERATED TO DISTORT THE REPORTS OF DOCTORS, WHILE THE INTERVIEW METHOD DID NOT ALLOW DISTORTION ON THE PART OF THE UNSKILLED WORKERS. ANOTHER FACTOR MAY BE THE FACT THAT ALL POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS KNEW OF THE WORKERS CRIMINAL RECORD WHEREAS FEW PATIENTS KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE MALPRACTICE SUITS IN WHICH THE DOCTORS WERE INVOLVED.