NCJ Number
60767
Editor(s)
S L MESSINGER,
E BITTNER
Date Published
1979
Length
767 pages
Annotation
ESSAYS ARE PRESENTED ON THE THEMES OF THE ECONOMIC APPROACH TO CRIME, CRIME IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, DISCRETION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, ORGANIZATIONAL CRIME, DELINQUENCY THEORY, AND PREVENTION AND TREATMENT.
Abstract
THE FUNDAMENTAL HYPOTHESIS IN THE ECONOMIC APPROACH TO CRIME IS THAT OFFENDERS AND THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO CONTROL CRIME RESPOND TO INCENTIVES. PROPONENTS OF THIS APPROACH TO CRIME PRESENT ESSAYS WHICH EXAMINE GENERAL IMPLICATIONS FOR DETERRENCE POLICY, THE USE OF MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS TO TEST FOR A DETERRENT EFFECT OF CAPITAL, ON ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF WOMEN AND CRIME, AN ECONOMIC STUDY OF U.S. AIRCRAFT HIJACKING, CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND DETERRENCE, DETERRENCE AND INCAPACITATION, AND THE 'INSIDE' ECONOMY OF A PRISON. ESSAYS ON THE THEME OF CRIME IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE HIGHLIGHT THE DYNAMIC QUALITIES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND ITS HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SUBJECTIVITY. WHILE THE ESSAYS ON DISCRETION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE DO NOT CONDEMN IT PER SE (ONE ESSAY VIEWS DISCRETION AS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE RATIONAL APPLICATION OF LAW TO LIFE), PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DISCRETIONARY DECISIONMAKING ARE IDENTIFIED. CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT IN LARGE CORPORATE ORGANIZATIONS IS EXAMINED AS A GROWING PROBLEM IN INDUSTRIALIZED SOCIETIES, AND MEANS OF CONTROLLING SUCH CRIME ARE CONSIDERED. ESSAYS ON DELINQUENCY THEORY GIVE PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES CLAIMING TO ACCOUNT FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. DELINQUENCY AND THE AGE STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY, INTELLIGENCE AND DELINQUENCY, AND UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS OF BASIC MODELS OF DELINQUENCY THEORIES ARE EXPLORED. ESSAYS ON PREVENTION, TREATMENT, AND CONTROL REVEAL THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS IN THESE AREAS FAIL TO ACHIEVE THEIR OBJECTIVES WHEN TESTED WITH RIGOROUS EVALUATION. ALTERNATIVES TO BE PURSUED IN LIGHT OF THIS FINDING ARE OFFERED. THE APPENDIX PRESENTS DATA FROM THE 1970'S WHICH FOLLOW CRIME FROM ARREST TO PROSECUTION, INCARCERATION, AND PAROLE, ALONG WITH DATA ON FEMALE OFFENDERS, VICTIMIZATION, AND THE DEATH PENALTY. FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, SEE NCJ 60768-60778.