DEVELOPING A NATIONAL CRIME POLICY - THE IMPACT OF POLITICS ON CRIME IN AMERICA (FROM CRIMINOLOGY - NEW CONCERNS, 1979, BY EDWARD SAGARIN - SEE NCJ-59332)

• NCJ Number: 59335
• Author(s): W C RECKLESS; H E ALLEN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: AN EARLIER DRAFT OF THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED BY ONE OF THE AUTHORS AT THE 1978 NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF LAMBDA ALPHA EPSILON - AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE ASSOCIATION, DAYTON, OHIO

Annotation

A NATIONAL CRIME POLICY, BASED ON CONSERVATIVE THOUGHT, HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WHICH WILL SHARPLY INFLUENCE BOTH FEDERAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

Abstract

CONSERVATIVE PUBLIC CRIME POLICIES ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE WELL INTO THE FUTURE AND THESE POLICIES WILL BE REFLECTED IN SUCH PROGRAMS AS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, THE ABOLITION OF PAROLE, FIXED SENTENCING, AND RESTRICTIONS OF COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS. THE RESEARCH AGENDA OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WILL LARGELY BE SET BY THIS CONSERVATIVE PHILOSOPHY AND IT CAN BE EXPECTED THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN SUCH RESEARCH ACTIVITIES. ALTHOUGH THE MOVEMENT TOWARDS A NATIONAL CRIME POLICY WAS BEGUN BY SENATOR GOLDWATER IN HIS 1964 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, PRESIDENT JOHNSON WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING A LIBERAL NATIONAL CRIME POLICY WHICH CONCENTRATED ON REMOVING THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CAUSES OF CRIME. THIS LIBERAL POLICY HAS SINCE BEEN CHANGED, MOST NOTABLY BY THE APPOINTMENT OF CONSERVATIVE U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICES. THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH WILL BE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KCP)