NCJ Number
68223
Journal
NEUE PROXIS Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 213-226
Date Published
1978
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THE PRACTICE OF REGARDING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AS A SIGN OF ILLNESS AND EFFECTS OF THIS MEDICAL MODEL ON DELINQUENCY TREATMENT AND RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
ACCORDING TO THE MODEL, DELINQUENCY IS A SYMPTOM OF DISEASE; THE NOTION OF PATHOLOGY MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO ASSUME QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN JUVENILE DELINQUENTS AND THEIR NORMAL CONTEMPORARIES, AND TO BELIEVE THAT A COMPLETE BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR WILL BE POSSIBLE AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE. DEVIANCE IS FREQUENTLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE PRESENCE OF CERTAIN PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS, WHICH ARE GENETICALLY DETERMINED; SOCIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL FACTORS ARE NOT CONSIDERED. TREATMENT APPROACHES FOLLOWING THIS THEORY TEND TO ISOLATE THE YOUNG INDIVIDUAL FROM HIS SOCIAL MILIEU AND TO EMPHASIZE THE OSTENSIBLY MIRACULOUS EFFECTS OF PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS. PRINCIPAL SHORTCOMINGS OF THE MEDICAL MODEL ARE 1) ITS FAILURE TO ADMIT TO THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT ON DEVIANT JUVENILES, AN AREA WHOSE RELEVANCE HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED IN RECENT SOCIALIZATION RESEARCH; AND 2) SYSTEMATIC NEGLECT OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINATION OF DEVIANCE, WHICH HAS BECOME THE CENTRAL FOCUS OF LABELING THEORY. DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO REFORM JUVENILE ASSISTANCE PRACTICES, THE MEDICAL MODEL HAS REMAINED THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE. RESISTENCE TO CHANGE IS VIEWED AS THE CONSEQUENCE OF TENDENCIES BY INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN SOCIAL CONTROL TO RELY ON OVERSIMPLIFIED, COMMON-SENSE MISCONCEPTIONS. MOREOVER, THE MEDICAL MODEL ALSO LEGITIMIZES THE EXCLUSIVE COMPETENCE OF THE SO-CALLED HELPING PROFESSIONS, WHOSE FIELD OF ACTION WOULD BE CURTAILED IF INTERVENTION WERE ASSUMED BY CRIMINAL JUSTICE AUTHORITIES ON THE PRINCIPLE OF GUILT AND PUNISHMENT INSTEAD. FINALLY, EXPLOITATION OF THE MEDICAL MODEL BY CAPITALISTIC SOCIETY CONCEALS, AND THUS PERPETUATES INEQUITABLE POWER STRUCTURES. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)