IMAGE OF THE CRIMINAL - A CRITIQUE OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY THEORIES

• NCJ Number: 6188
• Journal: ISSUES IN CRIMINOLOGY Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: (WINTER 1970) Pages: 59-83
• Author(s): T G POVEDA
• Date Published: 1970
• Length: 25 pages
• Corporate Author: University of California, Berkeley
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PREVAILING IMAGE OF THE CRIMINAL AS A LOWER CLASS PERSON AND DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS CULTURAL BIAS HAS AFFECTED CRIMINOLOGICAL THOUGHT.

Abstract

THE CENTRAL THEME OF THIS PAPER IS THAT CRIME AND DELINQUENCY THEORIES DO NOT HANDLE ALL CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR BUT RATHER FOCUS UNNECESSARILY ON LOWER CLASS CRIMINALITY. THE AUTHOR SEES THE NEED FOR THE REDEFINITION OF THE PARAMETERS OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY, WITH THE CULTURAL IMAGE OF THE CRIMINAL AS LOWER CLASS REPUDIATED AND THE PREOCCUPATION WITH CRIME AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE MIDDLE AND UPPER STRATA OF SOCIETY AS WELL. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)