HISTORICAL EXPLANATIONS OF CRIME - FROM DEMONS TO POLITICS (FROM CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS, 1978, BY JAMES A INCIARDI AND KENNETH C HAAS - SEE NCJ-53277)

• NCJ Number: 53280
• Author(s): C R HUFF
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Kendall/ Hunt Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Historical Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEORY REGARDING THE CAUSES AND NATURE OF CRIME IS TRACED FROM PRIMITIVE MAN'S ATTRIBUTION OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR TO DIABOLICAL POSSESSION, THROUGH THE EMERGENCE OF RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY.

Abstract

THE REVIEW ENCOMPASSES SUPERNATURAL EXPLANATIONS; THE CLASSICAL SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND ITS CONCEPTS OF RATIONALISM AND FREE WILL; DETERMINISM (POSITIVISM, PHYSICAL-BIOLOGICAL THEORIES, PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL THEORIES, ECONOMIC AND SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS); AND CONTEMPORARY LABELING, CONFLICT, AND RADICAL PERSPECTIVES. ONE PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW IS TO PROMOTE AN UNDERSTANDING OF CONTEMPORARY EXPLANATIONS AND THEIR PLACE IN THE CONTINUITY OF THOUGHT ON THE SUBJECT OF CRIME. A SECOND PURPOSE IS TO POINT TO CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE--THE WAYS IN WHICH THEORIES AND ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE NATURE OF CRIME INFLUENCE SOCIETY'S ATTEMPTS TO PREVENT, CONTROL, DETER, CURE, OR OTHERWISE CONTAIN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT, WHILE EXPLANATIONS OF CRIME COVER A TREMENDOUS RANGE OF IDEAS, THERE ARE PARALLELS AMONG THESE IDEAS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE IDEA THAT CRIMINALS ARE POSSESSED BY DEMONS IS NOT A GREAT DEAL DIFFERENT FROM THE MENTAL ILLNESS EXPLANATION OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. BOTH ARE LARGELY DETERMINISTIC, THOUGH ONE IS 'MAGICAL' AND THE OTHER 'SCIENTIFIC.' THE REVIEW ALSO SHOWS THAT RATIONALES FOR IMPRISONING CRIMINALS HAVE SHIFTED AMONG MORAL REFORM, DETERRENCE, REHABILITATION, PUBLIC PROTECTION, AND PUNISHMENT. THE PERCEPTIONS OF THOSE IMPRISONED HAVE ALSO CHANGED. PASSIVE ACCEPTANCE HAS GIVEN WAY TO AN INCREASING TENDENCY FOR PRISONERS TO VIEW THEMSELVES AS VICTIMS OF AN UNJUST LEGAL AND POLITICAL SYSTEM. IT APPEARS THAT THE LINK BETWEEN THEORIES OF CRIME AND PHILOSOPHIES OF SOCIAL CONTROL MUST BE EVALUATED ON TWO LEVELS: (1) CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THEORETICAL EXPLANATIONS AND FORMAL POLICIES, AND (2) CHANGING RATIONALES FOR EMPLOYING ESSENTIALLY THE SAME SOCIAL CONTROL PRACTICES (E.G., 'PUNITIVE' IMPRISONMENT VS. 'THERAPEUTIC' CORRECTIONAL REHABILITATION). (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)