NCJ Number
61604
Date Published
1979
Length
19 pages
Annotation
THE SERIOUS LACK OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE HISTORY RESEARCH, A CRITIQUE OF RECENT LITERATURE IN THE FIELD, AND SUGGESTED AREAS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE HISTORY ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE HISTORY IS REQUIRED TO GAIN A PERSPECTIVE OF THE EVOLUTIONARY THRUST OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE CHANGE AND THE LARGER ISSUES RELATED TO CRIME CONTROL IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE LITERATURE PRODUCED IN THE PAST DECADE, HOWEVER, IS AHISTORICAL IN STRUCTURE, CONTENT, AND PERSPECTIVE. HISTORICAL DISCUSSIONS, WHEN PRESENT, CONCENTRATE ON CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION AND POLICE DEVELOPMENT. LEGAL HISTORIANS HAVE IGNORED THE FIELD OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL TRAINING. HISTORICAL RESEARCH REQUIRING STATE AND LOCAL DATA HAS BEEN AVOIDED BECAUSE OF THE GENERALLY UNORGANIZED CHARACTER OF THE RECORDS. ALSO, THE DIVERSE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN A BARRIER TO ANY SYNTHESIS OF CRIMINAL LAW OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE THEORY. AREAS REQUIRING HISTORICAL RESEARCH ARE (1) CASE STUDIES OF THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PARTICULAR POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR TRADITIONAL FUNCTIONS, (2) THE RELATIONSHIP OF URBAN POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO THE POWER STRUCTURE, (3) ANALYTICAL BIOGRAPHIES OF PAST LEADERS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, (4) THE HISTORY OF STATE POLICE SYSTEMS, (5) CRIMINAL JUSTICE ON THE WESTERN FRONTIER, (6) THE HISTORY OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND RELATED HISTORIC CRIMINAL JUSTICE STRATEGIES, AND (7) THE EVOLUTION OF LOCAL JUDICIAL SYSTEMS. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)