NCJ Number
55340
Editor(s)
S A MEDNICK,
S G SHOHAM
Date Published
1979
Length
245 pages
Annotation
THIRTEEN WRITINGS ON CRIMINOLOGY, SEVERAL CONCERNED WITH THE INTERACTION OF GENETIC OR BIOLOGICAL FACTORS AND SOCIOCULTURAL FORCES AS DETERMINANTS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
AN INTERDISCIPLINARY, INTERCULTURAL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF CRIME IS REFLECTED IN THE COLLECTION, WHICH INCLUDES WORKS BY CRIMINOLOGISTS, LEGAL SCHOLARS, SOCIOLOGISTS, AND PSYCHIATRISTS FROM FINLAND, DENMARK, THE NETHERLANDS, THE UNITED STATES, FRANCE, ISRAEL, CANADA, AND YUGOSLAVIA. THE OPENING PAPER OFFERS A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF REAL AND PERCEIVED CHANGES IN CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. THE QUESTION OF WHETHER CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY FORMATION AND EVALUATION SHOULD BE THE DOMAIN OF INDIVIDUALS OR TEAMS IS ADDRESSED IN THE SECOND PAPER. A DISCUSSION OF ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO STUDYING THE ETIOLOGY OF CRIME FOCUSES ON CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AS A FUNCTION OF PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SITUATIONS. STUDY FINDINGS INDICATING THAT SOCIETAL MANIPULATION ALONE DOES NOT PREVENT ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR ARE CITED IN A DISCUSSION OF BIOSOCIAL FACTORS IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR PRIMARY PREVENTION. OTHER ARTICLES EXAMINE THE FOLLOWING: SOCIOLOGICAL MODELS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND MALADJUSTMENT, DANISH DATA EXPLODING THE MYTH OF THE 'RESPECTABLE' TRAFFIC OFFENDER (MALE TRAFFIC OFFENDERS WERE MORE OFTEN PENAL CODE OFFENDERS THAN WERE OTHER MALES), YOUTH GANGS IN COPENHAGEN, AND PERSONALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR OF INMATES AT A DANISH INSTITUTION FOR PYCHOPATHS. ALSO INCLUDED ARE DISCUSSIONS OF SOCIAL STIGMA AND LABELING, YOUNG OFFENDERS IN FINLAND, PROBLEMS IN CRIMINOLOGY, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND PUBLIC OPINION, AND SCANDINAVIAN RESEARCH ON KNOWLEDGE AND OPINION ABOUT LAW. A 17-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. FOR THE INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, SEE NCJ-45428, 49287, AND 55341-55351. (LKM)