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PSYCHIATRY AND THE DILEMMAS OF CRIME - A STUDY OF CAUSES, PUNISHMENT AND TREATMENT

NCJ Number
12264
Author(s)
S L HALLECK
Date Published
1967
Length
396 pages
Annotation
ANALYSIS OF ROLE OF PSYCHIATRIC CRIMINOLOGY AND OF THE NATURE OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, EMPHASIZING THE THEORIES AND CAUSES OF CRIME, AND THE PROTOCOL OF REVENGE.
Abstract
AFTER ASSESSING SEVERAL THEORIES OF CRIMINAL MOTIVATION, THE AUTHOR ARGUES THAT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS AN EFFORT TO GAIN PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL EQUILIBRIUM IN THE FACE OF INTENSE STRESS. HE DISCUSSES SUCH MATTERS AS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS THAT LEAD TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, THE SOCIAL, MEDICAL AND ETHICAL TREASURES BESETTING THE PSYCHIATRIST, MYTHS ABOUT CRIME WHICH HAVE LED TO HARMFUL ERRORS IN PUNISHMENT AND TREATMENT, AND POLICIES WHICH HAVE HELPED OR HINDERED CRIMINAL REHABILITATION. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES BY SETTING FORTH THE ADVANTAGES AND DANGERS OF EACH PSYCHIATRIC ROLE, AND EXAMINING CORRECTIONAL PRACTICES IN TERMS OF THEIR RELATIVE ADVANTAGES TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND HIS SOCIETY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)