CRIMINOLOGY AND THE PROBLEM OF CRIME (FROM SELECTED READINGS IN CRIME AND JUSTICE, BY ARLAND R BASSETT - SEE NCJ-61297)

• NCJ Number: 61298
• Author(s): E H JOHNSON
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Police Science Associates
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A DISCUSSION ON THE NECESSITY OF CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH FOCUSES ON CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE FIELDS OF CRIMINOLOGY, THE USEFULNESS OF SCIENTIFIC THEORY, AND THE EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF RESEARCH TOOLS.

Abstract

CRIMINOLOGY IS THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF FINDINGS IN THE AREAS OF (1) CRIME CAUSATION AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND ETIOLOGY, (2) THE NATURE OF SOCIETAL REACTION TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, AND (3) CRIME PREVENTION. THE INTERDEPENDENT BRANCHES OF CRIMINOLOGY--SCIENCE AND PRACTICE--AIM AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF OBJECTIVE RESEARCH FINDINGS AND THEIR APPLICATION TO THE STRUCTURE AND ACTIVITIES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE LARGER SOCIETY WHICH CONDITIONS HUMAN BEHAVIOR. THE ELUSIVENESS OF THESE ENDEAVORS IS EVIDENCED IN THE PRESENT FERMENT IN CRIMINOLOGY REGARDING THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION OF WHAT IS CRIME? THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN NONCONFORMING BUT NONCRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, CRIME DEFINED LEGALLY, AND CRIME DEFINED SOCIALLY ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN ATTEMPTING TO DEFINE CRIME. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS COMPEL MOST CONTEMPORARY STUDENTS OF CRIME TO DEPEND ON THE LEGAL CONCEPT OF CRIME. SINCE POLICE, COURT, AND PRISON STATISTICS ARE BASED ON THE LEGAL CONCEPT, THIS DEFINITION OF CRIME IS MOST PRACTICAL FOR RESEARCH. ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS OF CRIME WOULD MAKE RESEARCH DIFFICULT AND COSTLY. CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH HAS BEEN HANDICAPPED BY LIMITATIONS IN SCOPE, BY METHODOLOGICAL WEAKNESSES, AND BY RESTRICTIONS IN ORIENTATION. ONE OF THE FAVORABLE SIGNS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOUND CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH IS THE INCREASED INTEREST IN COLLECTING RELIABLE AND VALID STATISTICS. PROBLEMS REMAINING IN THIS AREA, HOWEVER, INCLUDE (1) THE LACK OF UNIFORMITY IN RECORD NOMENCLATURE ACROSS AGENCIES AND JURISDICTIONS, (2) DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES NOT EQUIPPED TO REFLECT THE ACTUAL DIVERSITY OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR, (3) DATA REFLECTING ONLY OFFICIAL DEALINGS WITH CRIME, (4) SUBJECTIVE PRIORITIES WHICH DISTORT OBJECTIVE REPORTING, (5) INCOMPLETE CONTROL OVER EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES, (6) FRAGMENTATION OF DATA, AND (7) A LACK OF LONG-RANGE PURPOSE IN GATHERING DATA. (RCB)