NCJ Number
14242
Editor(s)
W G CARSON,
P WILES
Date Published
1971
Length
258 pages
Annotation
READINGS DEVOTED TO THE SOCIOLOGY OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY AND THE METHODS OF CONTROLLING THEM AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE PROBLEMS IN BRITAIN AND THE SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR THEM IN AMERICA.
Abstract
THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED IN THREE SECTIONS, EACH WITH AN INTRODUCTION DESIGNED TO PLACE THE READINGS IN THE PROPER SOCIOLOGICAL CONTEXT. IN THE FIRST SECTION, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON CRIME IN BRITAIN IS TRACED, WITH EMPHASIS UPON THE WAY IN WHICH THE DIRECTION FOLLOWED IN THIS PROCESS WAS HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY THE CONCERNS OF SOCIAL POLICY MAKERS RATHER THAN BY SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIZATION. THIS FOCUS CHANGES IN THE SECOND SECTION WHERE SELECTED BRITISH MATERIAL IS PRESENTED AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF THE BETTER-KNOWN AMERICAN THEORIES WHICH HAVE DOMINATED THINKING ABOUT DELINQUENCY SINCE THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. IN THE FINAL SECTION, ATTENTION SHIFTS TO THE COMPARATIVELY RECENT REVIVAL OF INTEREST IN ANALYZING THE OPERATION OF FORMAL SOCIAL CONTROL AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SOCIOLOGIST'S ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND CRIME AND DELINQUENCY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)