DANGEROUSNESS OF DANGEROUSNESS - PRESENTATION OF PAPER (FROM DANGEROUS OFFENDER - PREDICTION AND ASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS OF A SEMINAR, 1977 - SEE NCJ-49606)

• NCJ Number: 49608
• Author(s): R TOMASIC
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 3 pages
• Corporate Author: Sydney University
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

MAIN IDEAS FROM THE PAPER ARE SUMMARIZED TO SUPPORT THE THESIS THAT PREDICTIONS OF DANGEROUSNESS ARE TOO UNRELIABLE TO SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF PEOPLE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

Abstract

AN OBSESSIVE CONCERN WITH DANGEROUSNESS AS SOMETHING INHERENT PRIMARILY IN INDIVIDUALS IS SEEN AS ONE OF THE MAJOR BLOCKS TO A MORE SOPHISTICATED THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRINCIPAL DANGERS TO SOCIAL ORDER. THE DANGER OF ORGANIZATIONAL AND BUREAUCRATIC POLICIES THAT THREATEN THE SOCIOECONOMIC FABRIC OF A SOCIETY AND THE EXISTENCE OF SOCIOECONOMIC CLIMATES THAT STIMULATE REACTIVE VIOLENCE IN INDIVIDUALS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE AREAS MOST FRUITFUL FOR RESEARCH LEADING TO A BROAD-BASED APPROACH TO ATTACKING THE MAJOR THREATS TO SOCIAL ORDER. EFFORTS TO PROTECT SOCIETY THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPPOSED PREDICTIVE MEASURES OF INDIVIDUAL VIOLENT BEHAVIOR THAT WILL LEAD TO PREVENTIVE SOCIAL CONTROL ARE CONSIDERED INEFFECTIVE AND UNJUST. THE MAJOR CONCLUSION FROM EXAMINING THE LITERATURE IS THAT THE SO-CALLED EXPERTS HAVE CLEARLY FAILED TO DEVELOP ANY RELIABLE CRITERIA FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF DANGEROUSNESS. THE HANDLING OF PERSONS BASED ON PREDICTIONS OF DANGEROUSNESS IS VIEWED AS NOTHING MORE THAN A MEANS OF SOCIAL CONTROL, MOST USUALLY OF PERSONS TOWARD WHOM SOCIETY AND CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL HAVE A NEGATIVE BIAS. (RCB)