NCJ Number
60470
Editor(s)
S BATAWIA
Date Published
1974
Length
51 pages
Annotation
A SERIES OF ARTICLES OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF CRIME IN POLAND BETWEEN 1951-1971 DEAL MAINLY WITH ALCOHOLISM AND CRIME, AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, RECIDIVISM, AND ITS UNDERLYING SOCIAL MALADJUSTMENT.
Abstract
IN A STUDY OF RECIDIVISTS IN WARSAW WHO COMMITTED HOOLIGAN ACTS, EXCESSIVE DRINKING WAS CLOSELY CONNECTED TO ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. OTHER RESEARCH OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD REVEALED A GROWING PERCENTAGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE CHARGED WITH BREACH OF PEACE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL AND OF RECIDIVISTS CONVICTED FOUR TIMES OR MORE. ALL OF THESE PERSONS CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS ALCOHOLICS. ANOTHER STUDY ELIMINATED THOSE ALREADY IDENTIFIED AS ALCOHOLIC AND CONCENTRATED UPON MEN AND WOMEN BROUGHT TO DETOXIFICATION CENTERS THREE TO FIVE TIMES DURING THE PRECEDING 5 YEARS. STATISTICS ARE GIVEN FOR THIS GROUP ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF TIMES THEY WERE TAKEN TO THE CENTERS, AGE, SEX, EMPLOYMENT, AND RATE OF CONVICTION. RESULTS SHOW THAT THOUGH SOME WERE REGISTERED IN DETOXIFICATION UNITS LESS THAN 10 TIMES DURING THE STUDY PERIOD, THEY WERE ALREADY PROBABLY ALCOHOLICS AND HAD BEEN ARRESTED FREQUENTLY FOR DRUNKENESS, ALTHOUGH NOT SENT TO A DETOXIFICATION CENTER. AVAILABLE EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THERE IS REASON FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE INTERVENTION ON THEIR BEHALF. CONCERNING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND RECIDIVISM, STUDIES SHOW THAT THE FORMAL CRITERION FOR RECIDIVISM USED BY THE COURTS DOES NOT REFLECT THE REAL EXTENT OF RECIDIVISM. THE PROBLEMS OF YOUTHS BROUGHT TO COURT AT AN EARLY AGE (10-11) ARE SEEN AS BEING CAUSED MAINLY BY LACK OF PROPER EDUCATION AND CARE. FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS IN BEHAVIOR IN SCHOOL AND HOME ENVIRONMENTS ARE DETAILED. SEVERAL ARTICLES NOTE THAT AVOIDING SOCIAL MALADJUSTMENT WILL HELP PREVENT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. A SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATIONS INTO HOMICIDE IN POLAND (1951 TO 1971) SHOWS A HIGHER RATE IN WESTERN POLAND, AN AREA OF SOCIAL MIGRATION AND RAPID INDUSTRALIZATION AND URBANIZATION. THE PROFILE OF THOSE COMMITTING WAR II. INFORMATION ABOUT VICTIMS IS ALSO INCLUDED. FOOTNOTES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED BUT NO BIBLIOGRAPHIES ARE APPENDED. (RFC)