NCJ Number
57190
Date Published
Unknown
Length
30 pages
Annotation
AN INTERACTIVE SOCIAL CONTROL MODEL WHICH USES NATURAL FUNCTIONAL COMMUNITIES TO CONTROL INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR IS PROPOSED AS A NEW DIRECTION IN CRIME REDUCTION AND A RADICAL ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL REACTIVE CONTROL.
Abstract
CURRENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE THEORIES ARE BASED ON THE NOTION THAT URBANIZATION HAS REMOVED THE STRONG SOCIAL CONTROLS COMMON IN A RURAL SOCIETY. THESE THEORIES ASSUME THAT THE INCREASE IN CRIME IS DUE TO A DECREASE IN FEELINGS OF COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY. AS A RESULT, JUSTICE AGENCIES RELY ON REACTIVE SOCIAL CONTROL WHICH USES THE THREAT OF PUNISHMENT. REACTIVE CONTROL IGNORES THE NATURAL COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE FOUND IN EVEN THE LARGEST CITIES. ETHNIC GROUPS, SOCIOECONOMIC GROUPS, AND RACIAL GROUPS STILL EXIST EVEN THOUGH THEIR SENSE OF IDENTITY MAY BE WEAKENED BY URBAN INFLUENCES. THESE COMMUNITIES ARE NOT ALWAYS GEOGRAPHICALLY DEFINED, ALTHOUGH MANY ARE. IF SUCH COMMUNITIES COULD BE STRENGTHENED, INDIVIDUALS BELONGING TO THESE GROUPS COULD BE MADE AWARE OF GROUP NORMS AND COMMUNITY PRESSURE WOULD HELP REDUCE DEVIANCE. POLICE AND CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES COULD REDUCE CRIME BY ENCOURAGING THESE MANY FUNCTIONAL COMMUNITIES. ALTHOUGH THIS APPROACH IS CALLED TOO RADICAL FOR MOST POLICE DEPARTMENTS TODAY, IT MIGHT BE USED BY CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES. IF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES WERE IN THE OFFENDERS' NEIGHBORHOOD, THE COMMUNITY COULD HELP REINFORCE FUNCTIONAL COMMUNITY NORMS. THIS APPROACH ALSO ENTAILS DRASTICALLY REVISING PUBLIC POLICIES TO IMPROVE COORDINATION BETWEEN COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND JUSTICE AGENCIES. EXTENSIVE REFERENCES ACCOMPANY THIS THEORETICAL DISCUSSION. (GLR)