NCJ Number
50857
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 42 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 3-9
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE POLITICO-ECONOMIC INFLUENCES PRESSING CRIMINOLOGISTS TO COMPROMISE THE INTEGRITY OF THEIR PROFESSION ARE IDENTIFIED, AND MEANS OF RESISTING THIS PRESSURE ARE SUGGESTED.
Abstract
IT IS NOTED THAT THE BULK OF FUNDING MONEY AVAILABLE FOR CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH COMES FROM GOVERNMENT, WHICH IN TURN MUST BE RESPONSIVE TO THE CITIZENRY IN PRODUCING RESULTS AND RELIEVING ANXIETIES. THIS MEANS THAT THE CRIMINOLOGIST MUST SHOW RESULTS FROM HIS RESEARCH THAT WILL LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN CRIME, PREFERABLY IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE TENDENCY OF SOME CRIMINOLOGISTS TO ADVOCATE TOUGHER SENTENCING POLICIES AS A MEANS OF REDUCING CRIME IS VIEWED AS A PLACEBO FOR THE PUBLIC WHOSE TAXES PAY FOR HIS RESEARCH. CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH DONE WITH INTEGRITY IS VIEWED AS A COMPLEX ANALYSIS OF THE MOST BASIC FACTORS THAT SPAWN A VARIETY OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIORS, EVEN THOUGH THE FINDINGS MAY CHALLENGE THE PREJUDICES, MISCONCEPTIONS, AND VESTED INTERESTS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE PUBLICIZED POSITIONS OF THE POLITICAL PERSONNEL IN POWER. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT CRIMINOLOGISTS FIGHT FOR THEIR INTEGRITY BY ADOPTING A UNIFIED APPROACH TO INFORMING POLITICIANS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE MEANING OF INTEGRITY IN RESEARCH AND THE COMPLEX SOCIOLOGICAL DYNAMICS THAT TEND TO FUEL INCREASES IN CRIME. SUCH EFFORTS WOULD NOT ONLY SERVE THE INTERESTS OF ADVANCING CRIMINOLOGY AS A SCIENCE, BUT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS IN LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR AN ATTACK ON THE REAL CAUSES OF CRIME. (RCB)