NCJ Number
59909
Journal
Criminologie Volume: 12 Issue: 1 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (1979) Pages: COMPLETE ISSUE
Editor(s)
A PARIZEAU
Date Published
1979
Length
91 pages
Annotation
STUDIES ON HOW PUBLIC OPINION CAN AND SHOULD INFLUENCE CHANGE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY ARE PRESENTED IN THIS CANADIAN JOURNAL.
Abstract
A THEORETICAL DISCUSSION OF THE USEFULNESS OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES RESEARCH FOR THE FORMATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY CONCLUDES THAT ATTITUDE RESEARCH (1) ESTABLISH A DIALECTIC BETWEEN THE LAW, JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND DIFFERENT SOCIAL FACTIONS; (2) FORM CRITERIA FOR LEGAL AND CORRECTIONAL REFORM; (3) RENDER THE LAW MORE UNDERSTANDABLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PUBLIC; (4) FURTHER DEVELOP A SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS; AND (5) REVEAL BETTER METHODS OF KEEPING THE PUBLIC INFORMED. AN OVERVIEW OF METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO MEASURING PUBLIC ATTITUDES EMPHASIZES THE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL'S RELATIONSHIP TO SOCIETY CAN BE PERCEIVED AS INTEGRAL TO PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH. TWO STUDIES USING INTERVIEWS WITH VICTIMS TRACE THE OCCURRENCE OF A CRIME THROUGH EACH STAGE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, IDENTIFYING PUBLIC REACTION TO EACH STEP OF THE PROCESS. CONCLUSIONS SHOW THAT MORE ATTENTION SHOULD BE SHIFTED FROM THE CRIMINAL TO THE VICTIM, AND POINT TO THE POWERLESSNESS OF VICTIMS, BOTH AS VICTIMS OF CRIME AND THEN AS VICTIMS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. FURTHER STUDIES ANALYZE PUBLIC REACTION TO VIOLENCE, QUESTIONING WHETHER THE PUBLIC HAS A REALISTIC ATTITUDE ABOUT VIOLENCE, AND WHETHER PUBLIC OPINION SHOULD BE NEEDED WITH REGARD TO REQUESTS FOR CHANGE. FINALLY, REPORTS FROM INVESTIGATING AGENCIES IN FRANCE, THE U.S., AND CANADA, FOCUSING ON THE ISSUE OF VIOLENCE AND PUBLIC ATTITUDES, ARE REVIEWED. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH A BRIEF ENGLISH AND FRENCH SUMMARY OF THE ISSUE. FOR RELATED DOCUMENTS, SEE NCJ 59910-59914 --IN FRENCH. (MHP)