NCJ Number
119068
Date Published
1988
Length
37 pages
Annotation
This chapter develops an analytical scheme for determining the level of formalization in a crime control mechanism.
Abstract
The initial task is to select a social "mechanism" which has crime control as a purpose. The component parts of the mechanism (at least the structure of authority, regulatory framework, and decisionmaking process) should be examined to understand the structure and operation of the social unit. The analysis should be advanced on an internal/discrete and an external/comparative level. An understanding of the ideology of crime control and its manifestations within the specific sociocultural milieu are required because of their significance in social reality and for the projection of future policies. The level of formalization of the mechanism should then be assessed. This can be achieved by using pointers of formalization as analytical devices. The level of formalization of the mechanisms can only be assessed through comparative measures. Crime control is the next dimension for analysis. The relationship between formalization and crime control potential, which may be influenced by ambient processes, is forged through the structure and operations of the mechanism. The significance of formalization for crime control potential and the direction of the link should be analyzed. Once a relationship is established and it proves significant for crime control, it should be further analyzed from a dynamic perspective. Finally, the control process should be monitored to chart the development of the relationship, the factual achievement of its potential, and its developing social significance.