NCJ Number
55562
Journal
Criminology Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1979) Pages: COMPLETE ISSUE
Editor(s)
J A INCIARDI,
A E POTTIEGER
Date Published
1979
Length
143 pages
Annotation
PAPERS ADVOCATING AND CRITICIZING A 'RADICAL' CRIMINOLOGY BASED ON MARXIST IDEOLOGY ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
'RADICAL' CRIMINOLOGY IS SO-CALLED BECAUSE IT HOLDS THAT CONTROL CANNOT BE ULTIMATELY REALIZED WITHIN THE PREVAILING CAPITALIST SOCIOECONOMIC ORDER OF AMERICAN SOCIETY. PAPERS IN THIS PUBLICATION HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED SO AS TO OFFER A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES ON THIS TOPIC. TWO PAPERS POSIT THE ENTERPRISE OF LAWMAKING AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, AS WELL AS CRIMINOLOGY, IN THE VESTED INTEREST OF DOMINANT CLASS GROUPS IN A SOCIETY. THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM IS BLAMED FOR CRIMINALIZING BEHAVIOR DEEMED THREATENING TO THE OWNERS OF THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION, SUCH THAT THE LOWER CLASSES (PROLETARIAT) DISPROPORTIONATELY BEAR THE LABEL DEVIANT. A MARXIST-SOCIALIST SYSTEM IS ENVISIONED AS A REMEDY FOR MOST OF THE ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR BELIEVED STIMULATED AND SUBSEQUENTLY PUNISHED BY THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM. TWO MORE PAPERS CRITICIZE THE THOUGHT AND METHODOLOGY OF RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY. THE RADICAL CRIMINOLOGISTS ARE CRITICIZED FOR THEIR TENDENCY TO VIEW CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AS A CONSTRUCT OF THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM AND A REBELLION AGAINST IT, RATHER THAN ROOTING IT IN MORE BASIC ASPECTS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND CONDITIONS. RADICAL CRIMINOLOGISTS' METHODOLOGY IS SCORED FOR BEING MORE IDEOLOGICAL THAN SCIENTIFIC. ONE PAPER OFFERS SOME SPECULATION ON THE CONTENT OF TOMORROW'S CRIMINOLOGY, AS IT DISCUSSES THE LIKELIHOOD OF CRIMINOLOGY'S INCREASING INTEREST IN THE MORAL ASPECTS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES. THE PRESENTATION CONCLUDES WITH AN EXTENDED REVIEW ESSAY ON A SELECTION OF RECENT MAJOR WORKS IN RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY. FOR SELECTED READINGS, SEE NCJ 55563-55568. (RCB)