NCJ Number
50315
Date Published
1978
Length
569 pages
Annotation
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIETAL TRENDS AND CHANGES IN THE NATURE OF CRIME AND CRIMINAL LAW IS EXPLORED.
Abstract
THE BOOK OPENS WITH AN OVERVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF CRIME DEFINITION, EVOLUTION, AND MEASUREMENT, AND OF THE QUESTION 'DOES CRIME PAY?' IT IS CONTENDED THAT A DISTINCTION BETWEEN PREDATORY AND NONPREDATORY OFFENSES PERMITS MORE VALID STATEMENTS ON THESE SUBJECTS THAN DOES REFERENCE TO CRIME AS A WHOLE. THE DISCUSSION THEN TURNS TO GENERAL THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION (PSYCHOANALYTIC STUDIES OF DELINQUENCY, PERSONALITY RESEARCH AND TYPOLOGIES OF DELINQUENCY, DRIFTS IN THE REINFORCEMENT AND DETERRENCE OF CRIME, LABELING, ETC.) AND BIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN CRIME (INTELLIGENCE, BRAIN DISORDERS, CHROMOSOMAL ABNORMALITIES, PHYSIQUE, PSYCHOPATHY AND AROUSAL, ANCESTRY, HORMONES). SPECIFIC OFFENSE PATTERNS -- ADOLESCENT DELINQUENCY, VIOLENT OFFENSES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND CRIME, SEX CRIMES, 'AVOCATIONAL' CRIME (THEFT AND FRAUD BY SHOPPERS, EMPLOYEE CRIMES, CRIMES BY OSTENSIBLY LEGITIMATE ORGANIZATIONS), CRIME AS PROFESSION OR BUSINESS -- ARE ANALYZED. THE CLOSING CHAPTER OFFERS CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE FUTURE OF CRIME. ONE CONCLUSION IS THAT THE CRIMES THAT MOST DISTURB PEOPLE -- MURDERS, MUGGINGS, BREAK-INS, PURSE SNATCHINGS, ETC. -- CAN BE DIMINISHED BY REDUCING AGE SEGREGATION, GUARANTEEING EMPLOYMENT, AUGMENTING MOTIVATION IN EDUCATION, AND ELIMINATING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MINORITIES. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THESE GOALS CAN BE ACHIEVED WITHIN THE EXISTING POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND THAT SOCIETY IS MOVING TOWARD THEM. A 50-PAGE LIST OF REFERENCES AND NAME AND SUBJECT INDEXES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)