NCJ Number
57909
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 24 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1978) Pages: 13-27
Date Published
1978
Length
16 pages
Annotation
CRIME AS A MAJOR POLITICAL ISSUE IN FOUR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS, FROM GOLDWATER-JOHNSON IN 1964 TO FORD-CARTER IN 1976, IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
THE NATURE OF THE CRIME ISSUE, WHICH GENERALLY HAS BEEN EXTENDED BEYOND CRIME ITSELF TO ENCOMPASS RIOTS, DEMONSTRATIONS, SEXUAL FREEDOM, OBSCENITY AND PORNOGRAPHY, CAMPUS UNREST, RACIAL PROBLEMS, AND THE GENERAL 'FUTURE SHOCK' OF RAPID SOCIAL CHANGE, IS CONSIDERED. VARIOUS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES' ASSESSMENTS OF THE CRIME ISSUE AND FACTORS BEARING ON THOSE ASSESSMENTS ARE DESCRIBED. LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE TREATMENTS OF THE ISSUE ARE COMPARED, AND SOLUTIONS TO THE CRIME PROBLEM PROPOSED BY VARIOUS CANDIDATES ARE ANALYZED. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO THE IMPACT OF CAMPAIGN TREATMENT OF THE CRIME ISSUE ON PUBLIC POLICY. THE FOLLOWING MAJOR CONCLUSIONS ARE REACHED: (1) LAW AND ORDER HAS BEEN A CAMPAIGN ISSUE PRIMARILY FOR CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES CHALLENGING LIBERAL INCUMBENTS (E.G., GOLDWATER, NIXON, WALLACE, REAGAN); (2) CONSERVATIVE PROPOSALS FOR HANDLING CRIME GENERALLY REFLECT AN APPROACH TO CRIME CONTROL BASED ON CONCEPTS OF FREE WILL AND RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE; (3) THERE ARE FUNDAMENTAL INCONSISTENCIES BETWEEN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES OF CONSERVATION AND CERTAIN LAW-AND-ORDER STRATEGIES; AND (4) THE MONOPOLY OVER THE CRIME ISSUE BY CANDIDATES FROM THE POLITICAL RIGHT HAS HAD DEFINITE EFFECTS ON PUBLIC POLICY REGARDING CRIME. THE DIRECTION ON NATIONAL CRIME POLICY SINCE THE MID-1960'S HAS BEEN AWAY FROM A DUE PROCESS MODEL AND TOWARD A CRIME CONTROL MODEL. THE FORMER VIEWS THE REPRESSION OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT AS THE MOST IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF THE CRIMINAL PROCESS, WHEREAS THE LATTER ACCORDS PRIMACY TO THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE. THE CHALLENGE FACING POLICYMAKERS IS TO FIND AND IMPLEMENT THE PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN CRIME CONTROL AND DUE PROCESS, AND BETWEEN RETRIBUTIVE AND DISTRBUTIVE JUSTICE. (LKM)