NCJ Number
32996
Date Published
1976
Length
549 pages
Annotation
INCORPORATING FIFTEEN YEARS OF RESEARCH, INTENSIVE THERAPY, AND FOLLOW-UP STUDIES, THIS BOOK PRESENTS A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CRIMINAL THINKING AND ACTING PATTERNS WHICH REFUTE COMMON THEORIES OF CRIMINALITY.
Abstract
THE AUTHORS MAINTAIN THAT THE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE CRIMINAL MIND AND THE SOCIOLOGIC AND PSYCHOLOGIC THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION, WHICH ARE THE BASES FOR CURRENT REHABILITATION EFFORTS, TEND TO REINFORCE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS INSTEAD OF CORRECTING THEM. THE AUTHORS ILLUSTRATE, THROUGH THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE, THE FUTILITY OF TRADITIONAL CORRECTIVE APPROACHES, POINTING OUT THAT ANALYSIS AND INVESTIGATION OF CAUSATIVE FACTORS SERVE ONLY TO SUPPORT THE CRIMINAL'S VIEW OF HIMSELF AS THE 'VICTIM' OF HIS OWN FEELINGS, HIS FAMILY, AND SOCIETY. THEIR REPORT ALSO REFUTES THE STEROTYPE OF THE CRIMINAL AS THE SUBJECT OF EARLY EMOTIONAL OR SOCIOECONOMIC DEPRIVATION, AS IT ESTABLISHES THAT THE SAME THOUGHT PATTERNS EXIST AMONG ALL CRIMINAL TYPES, REGARDLESS OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. BASICALLY, THE AUTHORS FOUND THAT ALTHOUGH THE CRIMINAL PERSONALITY IS NOT PSYCHOTIC, THE CRIMINAL APPEARED TO BE BREATING HIS OWN REALITY, DIFFERENT FROM THAT PERCEIVED BY NONCRIMINALS. IT IS STATED THAT RENOVILITATION OF THE CRIMINAL REQUIRES A TOTAL CONVERSION OF THE CRIMINAL PERSONALITY, RESULTING FROM A PAINSTAKING REEDUCATION OF THE CRIMINAL. THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS IN THIS TEXT COVER THE METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH OF THIS STUDY. AN ACCOUNT OF HOW THE CRIMINAL FUNCTIONS IN HIS OWN ENVIRONMENT - AT HOME, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AT SCHOOL, AND AT WORK - IS THEN PROVIDED. THE AUTHORS THEN OUTLINE THE 'CRIMINAL THINKING PATTERNS' DISCOVERED DURING THEIR RESEARCH; THEY DISCUSS THE CRIMINAL EXPRESSION OF ENERGY, FEAR, A 'ZERO' EMOTIONAL STATE, ANGER, PERFECTIONISM, LYING, AND BEING A 'LONER'. AUTOMATIC ERRORS IN THINKING, THE THOUGHT PROCESSES WHICH MOST DIRECTLY RESULT IN THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME, AND NONARRESTABLE ACTIVITIES OF THE CRIMINAL ARE ALSO EXAMINED. THE SPECIFIC TACTICS WHICH A CRIMINAL MAY USE IN DEALING WITH PROFESSIONALS ONCE HE IS APPREHENDED ARE DISCUSSED IN THE SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER. IT IS NOTED HERE THAT THE MAJOR OBSTACLE THAT AFFECTS ALL TRANSACTIONS WITH CRIMINALS IS THE CRIMINAL'S VIEW OF HIMSELF NOT AS A CRIMINAL, BUT AS A GOOD PERSON. THIS CHAPTER ENDS WITH A DISCUSSION OF SEMANTICS AND THE CRIMINAL'S USE OF LANGUAGE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)