NCJ Number
50790
Journal
Criminology Volume: 16 Issue: 2 Dated: (AUGUST 1978) Pages: 149-169
Date Published
1978
Length
21 pages
Annotation
BASIC ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HUMAN NATURE THAT INFLUENCE APPROACHES TOWARDS CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARE EXAMINED, AND A NEW BIOSOCIAL CRIMINOLOGY MODEL IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
BASIC ASSUMPTIONS OF CLASSICAL AND POSITIVIST CRIMINOLOGY ARE PRESENTED, AND THE FAILURES OF THE CRIMINOLOGY AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES ARE DISCUSSED. UNDER PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR HAVE BEEN MADE WHICH LIMIT THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND BEHAVIOR AND TO APPLY THIS KNOWLEDGE TO THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND CRIME. A NEW MODEL OF CRIMINOLOGY IS OFFERED WHICH IS BUILT ON AN INTERDISCIPLINARY THEORY. THE MODEL CONTAINS SEVERAL BASIC ELEMENTS INCLUDING A MOVE FROM DETERRENCE, PUNISHMENT, AND TREATMENT TOWARDS PREVENTION, A MOVE FROM A SOCIAL TO A PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, AND A MOVE FROM A SOCIAL TO A BIOSOCIAL MODEL OF LEARNING. IT RECOGNIZES THAT BEHAVIOR REFLECTS BOTH GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES, AND DEPENDS ON THE ENCODING AND DECODING OF INFORMATION BY THE BRAIN. EMERGING THEORIES IN CRIMINOLOGY RECOGNIZE THIS INTERACTION OF GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON BEHAVIOR; A NEW MODEL OF TREATMENT INVOLVES THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE BRAINS AND INCLUDES ADMINISTRATION OF CERTAIN DRUGS TO TREAT BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS. EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS IS NECESSARY AND WOULD INCLUDE BIOLOGICAL TESTING AND LEARNING DISABILITY TESTING. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A PRIVATE TREATMENT SYSTEM BE SET UP TO PARALLEL OR REPLACE THE PRESENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO REMOVE THE TREATMENT OF BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS FROM THE POLITICAL ARENA. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT A FEW PRIVATE TREATMENT SYSTEMS BE ESTABLISHED AT MAJOR CLINICS, AND THAT RESEARCH BE SUPPORTED BY PRIVATE FUNDS, REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)