NCJ Number
50795
Journal
Criminology Volume: 16 Issue: 2 Dated: (AUGUST 1978) Pages: 273-288
Date Published
1978
Length
16 pages
Annotation
A SURVEY OF VETERAN CRIMINOLOGISTS WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THEIR VIEWS ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD OF CRIMINOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTS IN THEIR OWN CAREERS, EXPECTED TRENDS IN THE FIELD, AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO NEWCOMERS.
Abstract
THE SURVEY SAMPLE CONSISTED OF PERSONS WHOSE WORKS WERE HEAVILY CITED IN CRIMINOLOGICAL LITERATURE BETWEEN 1945-1972. THERE WERE 44 SCHOLARS IN THE SAMPLE POPULATION, AND 41 PERCENT RESPONDED. SURVEY RESPONSES INDICATED THAT THE GROWING SOPHISTICATION OF TECHNICAL SKILLS FOR ANALYZING CRIMINOLOGICAL ISSUES AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIMINOLOGICAL WORK AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE WERE CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST HEALTHY DEVELOPMENTS IN CRIMINOLOGY SINCE 1945. THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS CITED IN THE SURVEY HAD A MEAN COPYRIGHT DATE OF 1947, AND THE LEADING RESPONSES FOCUSED ON THE WORKS OF EDWIN H. SUTHERLAND. IDEOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS UNFOLDING IN CRIMINOLOGY, PARTICULARLY THE MOVEMENT TOWARD MARXIST PERSPECTIVES, WERE SEEN AS THE MOST UNHEALTHY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD. IN ADVISING NEWCOMERS IN CRIMINOLOGY, THE RESPONDENTS STRESSED THE NEED FOR ESTABLISHING A STRONG BACKGROUND IN THEORY, ESPECIALLY IN QUANTITATIVE SKILLS, CONCENTRATING ON A SINGLE SUBJECT MATTER, DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEREST AND ABILITY TO PRODUCE A BODY OF CUMULATIVE, INTERWOVEN RESEARCH, AND ACQUISITION OF EXTENSIVE FIELD EXPERIENCE. THE RESPONDENTS WERE SURVEYED ON THEIR PERSPECTIVES OF THEIR OWN CAREER, AND ALTHOUGH THE ANSWERS WERE VARIED, A LARGE NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS WISHED THEY HAD BETTER TRAINING PARTICULARLY IN LAW AND ECONOMICS, AND DEPLORED THE FAILURE TO CONCENTRATE EXCLUSIVELY ON A PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF THE DISCIPLINE. OVERALL, PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR CAREERS AND OF THE FUTURE IN CRIMINOLOGY ARE POSITIVE. (DAG)