NCJ Number
176675
Journal
Justice Report Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: 1998 Pages: 21-23
Date Published
1998
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article presents a prison inmate's thoughts on crime and victims of crime.
Abstract
It is too easy to claim that offenders are the only ones responsible for their actions, their past and their criminal behavior. Overemphasizing accountability can be just as detrimental as not holding offenders accountable at all. It would seem more fair, productive, and balanced to acknowledge that responsibility falls on many. That having been done, many would be far less radical in their value judgments. Instead, no one ever questions oneself, society even less, as offenders represent an ideal of group scapegoats. Crime is of concern only to those who commit it, those who are affected by it, or those charged with managing those two extremes. For all who make up society, prevention is the subject, political and financial recognition of community organizations is the verb and a just and responsible community living in peace is the object.