AFTER LABELING AND CONFLICT - AN ASPECT OF CRIMINOLOGY'S NEXT CHAPTER

• NCJ Number: 55568
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1979) Pages: 545-560
• Author(s): L A WOLLAN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REVISION OF PAPER PRESENTED AT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CRIMINOLOGY, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, NOVEMBER 17, 1977

Annotation

A CONCERN WITH MORALS AND VALUES AS DETERMINATIVE FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRUCTURES OF SOCIAL CONTROL IS DISCUSSED AS A LIKELY IMPORTANT FOCUS IN THE NEXT PHASE OF CRIMINOLOGICAL STUDY.

Abstract

FOLLOWING SOCIOLOGY'S PREOCCUPATION WITH LABELING AND CONFLICT THEORIES, THERE IS LIKELY TO BE A CONCERN WITH MORALS AND VALUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS. A LOGICAL INQUIRY TO BE PURSUED FROM THE LABELING THEORY IS TO DETERMINE WHAT MORAL OR VALUE ORIENTATIONS STIMULATE THE LABELING OF CERTAIN BEHAVIOR AS DEVIANT IN A GIVEN SOCIETY, AND AN OUTGROWTH OF THE CONFLICT THEORY FOR SOCIAL CONTROL WOULD BE EXAMINATION OF THE MORAL AND VALUE BASES UPON WHICH LAW IN GENERAL AND SPECIFIC LAWS SHOULD BE USED FOR BEHAVIORAL CONTROL. THE INCREASING URGENCY OF RESOLVING THESE ISSUES, ALONG WITH OTHERS THAT INVOLVE PRESUPPOSITIONS OF MORAL VIEWPOINTS, WILL SURELY CAUSE MORE CRIMINOLOGISTS THAN IN THE PAST TO GAIN SOME LITERACY IN MORAL PHILOSOPHY. FURTHER, RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY, WHICH IS BASED IN A MARXIST PHILOSOPHY OF THE NATURE AND PURPOSES OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION, IS PRESSING OTHER CRIMINOLOGISTS TO EXAMINE THE IDEOLOGICAL AND VALUE BASES OUT OF WHICH THEY HAVE OPERATED. IT IS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO DEFEND A COMPREHENSIVE SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO HUMAN PROBLEMS ON THE BASIS OF SCIENTIFIC DATA ANALYSIS ALONE. THE MORAL PREDILECTION OF A SOCIOLOGIST OR SCHOOL OF SOCIOLOGY IS RECOGNIZED TO BE IMPORTANT IN THE INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION OF ANY EMPIRICAL DATA. GENERALLY, THE FOLLOWING CHANGES ARE MAKING FOR MORE ACCOMODATION OF VALUE-ORIENTED CONSIDERATIONS IN CRIMINOLOGY: THE DEMISE OF 'VALUE-FREE' SOCIAL SCIENCE, THE MOVEMENT TOWARD HUMANISM IN SOCIAL SCIENCE, THE WEAKENING OF ITS POSITIVISM, AND ITS OUTREACH TOWARD THE HUMANITIES. EACH OF THESE CHANGES IS DISCUSSED. RECENT NATIONAL ETHICAL CRISES (WATERGATE, VIETNAM), THE DECLINE OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC STATE, THE RESURGENCE OF MORAL PHILOSOPHY, AND THE DEMAND OF THE PUBLIC FOR ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CRIME AND PUNISHMENT ISSUES ARE CHANGES BEYOND SOCIAL SCIENCE ITSELF DISCUSSED AS INFLUENCING THE TREND TOWARD VALUE CONSIDERATIONS IN CRIMINOLOGY. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)