NCJ Number
43768
Date Published
1976
Length
41 pages
Annotation
THE TREND IN ACADEMIC CIRCLES AWAY FROM CORRECTIVE CRIMINOLOGY AND TOWARD THE STUDY OF DEVIANCE AS AN INTRINSIC PART OF SOCIETY IS EXAMINED, WITH A VIEW TOWARD REKINDLING INTEREST IN THE FORMER.
Abstract
CORRECTIVE CRIMINOLOGY IS CONCERNED WITH THE CAUSES OF, AND IMPLICITLY THE CURES FOR, CRIME. TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC INTEREST IN CORRECTIVE CRIMINOLOGY IS BEING PREEMPTED BY 'APPRECIATIVE SENTIMENTS,' I.E., CONCERN WITH DEVIANCE AS A PHENOMENON. THREE BASIC ISSUES UNDERLY ARGUMENTS AGAINST EMPHASIS ON CORRECTIVE CRIMINOLOGY: REJECTION OF CRIME AS THE FOCUS OF ATTENTION, REJECTION OF THE CAUSAL/CORRECTIVE CONCEPT, AND REJECTION OF THE 'HARD DETERMINISM' ASSOCIATED WITH TRADITIONAL CRIMINOLOGY. IT IS ARGUED THAT THERE ARE NO SPECIAL REASONS FOR REGARDING THE STUDY OF CRIME AS ANY MORE PROBLEMATIC THAN WIDER OR NARROWER CATEGORIES OF INVESTIGATION. THE FOLLOWING MAJOR CRITICISMS AIMED AT CAUSAL EXPLANATIONS OF HUMAN ACTION IN GENERAL AND OF CRIME AND DEVIANCE IN PARTICULAR ARE REBUKED: THAT CAUSAL EXPLANATION IS NOT APPLICABLE TO HUMAN ACTIONS; THAT CAUSAL EXPLANATION IMPLIES A DETERMINIST VIEW OF HUMAN ACTION; AND THAT AN INTEREST IN CAUSE NECESSARILY IMPLIES AN INTEREST IN CURE AND, AS SUCH, IS DISTORTING AND CONSERVATIVE. THE CONCEPT OF RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY IS BROUGHT OUT IN THE DISCUSSION OF THE THIRD CRITICISM. IT IS EMPHASIZED THAT, BECAUSE THE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH CORRECTIVE CRIMINOLOGY HAVE BEEN DEEMED DISREPUTABLE, THE APPROACH ITSELF HAS BEEN WRONGLY CONDEMNED.