NCJ Number
58889
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 25 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1979) Pages: 364-369
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
SATIRICAL RULES PERCEIVED AS GOVERNING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS ARE PRESENTED AND ILLUSTRATED AS A MEANS OF CRITICIZING TYPICAL PATTERNS OF WORD USAGE.
Abstract
THE INVOLVEMENT OF VARIOUS SCIENCES AND SPECIALIZED FIELDS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ENTERPRISE HAS RESULTED IN EACH INJECTING ITS OWN BRAND OF ESOTERIC WORD USAGE INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE VOCABULARY AND LANGUAGE STRUCTURE. THE RESULT HAS BEEN A HYBRID ARGOT THAT HAS BLURRED AND UNDERMINED CLEAR AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. IN THE PRESENT CLIMATE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMUNICATION, THE FOLLOWING RULES MAY APPLY: (1) NEVER USE A SHORT WORD WHEN A LONG ONE WILL DO; (2) CREATE NEW WORDS WHENEVER POSSIBLE OR GIVE NEW MEANINGS TO OLD WORDS; (3) ALWAYS REPEAT THE SAME THOUGHT AGAIN IN AS MANY REDUNDANT WORDS AS POSSIBLE; (4) INSERT AS MANY MEANINGLESS WORDS AND DEAD PHRASES AS POSSIBLE INTO EACH SENTENCE. EACH OF THE RULES IS ILLUSTRATED BY AN EXAMPLE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROSE, FOLLOWED BY A CRITIQUE. THE APPEAL IS FOR A CLEARER, MORE SIMPLIFIED, AND MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WORDS IN COMMUNICATION. (RCB)