NCJ Number
54129
Journal
Deviance et societe Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 349-364
Date Published
1978
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THREE SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN CONTEMPORARY CRIMINOLOGY ARE EXPLAINED AND EVALUATED.
Abstract
WHILE TRADITIONAL CRIMINOLOGY CONTINUOUSLY LOOKED FOR LINEAR CAUSAL RELATIONSHIPS (IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MECHANICAL WORLD VIEW OF THE 19TH CENTURY), THREE SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT HAVE EMBARKED ON NEW EPISTEMOLOGICAL ROADS: (1) THE STUDY OF DELINQUENCY AS AN ORDINARY ACTIVITY, (2) CRIMINOLOGY OF SOCIAL REACTION, AND (3) RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY. IN THE FIRST SCHOOL, WHILE TRADITIONAL CRIMINOLOGY FOCUSED ON THE 'CAUSES OF CRIME' (I.E., ON BIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND SOCIOLOGICAL FACTORS WHICH DISTINGUISH OFFENDERS FROM ORDINARY PEOPLE), A NEW RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE CONSIDERS DELIQNUENCY AS A SOCIOPROFESSIONAL, OR ORDINARY, ACTIVITY. RATHER THAN BEING PROPELLED BY EXTERNAL FACTORS, THE CRIMINAL ACTS DELIBERATELY AND CHOOSES HIS OWN IDENTITY. HIS ACTIONS MUST BE SEEN IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SAME COMPLEXITIES AND MOTIVATIONS AS ALL OTHER HUMAN BEHAVIOR. THE SECOND SCHOOL OF SOCIAL REACTION INCLUDES BOTH THE REACTION OF OTHER PEOPLE TOWARDS THE OFFENDER (E.G., MORAL INDIGNATION) AND SOCIETY'S REPRESSIVE MEASURES (LEGAL ACTIONS). ATTENTION NO LONGER FOCUSES ON THE DELINQUENT AS AN INDIVIDUAL BUT ON THE OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL ORGANS OF SOCIAL CONTROL WHICH, IN A SENSE, CREATE DELINQUENCY AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON (E.G., THROUGH LABELING). THIRDLY, RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY APPLIES THE MARXIST CONCEPT OF THE ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE DETERMINING SOCIETY AS A WHOLE TO CRIMINAL STUDIES. THE SCHOOL HAS FIVE CHIEF GOALS: CRITICISM OF PREVIOUS CRIMINOLOGICAL STUDIES, CONSTRUCTION OF ITS OWN MODEL OF CRIMINAL ACTIONS, EMPHASIS ON PREVIOUSLY NEGLECTED AREAS OF STUDY, STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIMINOLOGISTS AND GOVERNMENT POWERS, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REFORM PROGRAM WHICH WILL FREE THE OPPRESSED SOCIAL CLASSES. WHILE THESE RECENT RESEARCH CURRENTS SIGNIFICANTLY ENRICH TRADITIONAL CRIMINOLOGY, THEY NONETHELESS REMAIN IRRECONCILABLE AMONG THEMSELVES. THE ARTICLE INCLUDES EXTENSIVE FOOTNOTES. --IN FRENCH. (SAJ)