NCJ Number
53364
Journal
Crime and Social Justice Issue: 10 Dated: (FALL/WINTER) Pages: 17-27
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE DIVERGENCE BETWEEN TWO APPROACHES TO CRIME--RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE--IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS DEFINED AS A FIELD OF STUDY THAT FOCUSES ON THE OPERATIONS OF THE INSTITUTIONS CREATED TO DEAL WITH BEHAVIORS SPECIFIED BY THE CRIMINAL LAW. RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY IS DEFINED AS A MARXIST APPROACH TO THE ISSUES OF CRIME AND CRIME CONTROL. IT IS ARGUED THAT THE TWO DISCIPLINES CANNOT BE VIEWED AS MERELY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES EXISTING WITHIN A COMMON INTELLECTUAL FRAMEWORK. THE BASIC ASSUMPTIONS, OBJECTS OF STUDY, EVALUATION STRATEGIES, POLITICAL COMMITMENTS, AND CONSTITUENCIES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY ARE SO OPPOSED THAT THE ONLY THING THE TWO FIELDS SHARE IS AN INTEREST IN THE STUDY OF CRIME AND CONTROL. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE TWO FIELDS DO SHARE THIS INTEREST, THEY ARE BOUND TO COME INTO CONTACT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE, WITH ITS ADVANTAGED POWER POSITION, CAN AFFORD TO IGNORE RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY MOST OF THE TIME AND TO COOPT RADICAL IDEAS AND MEANINGS (RESTATE THEM IN SUCH A WAY TO RENDER THEM SUPPORTIVE OF, OR AT LEAST NOT CONTRADICTORY TO, ELEMENTS WITHIN THE DOMINANT CULTURE) WHEN OCCASIONS FOR CONTACT ARISE. RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY, AS THE OUTSIDER, MUST PLAN ITS CONTACTS WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE CAREFULLY AND MUST TAKE A STRATEGIC POSTURE IN THOSE CONTACTS. THE OVERALL SITUATION ENSURES THAT THERE WILL BE NO RESOLUTION BETWEEN THE TWO DISCIPLINES, UNLESS ONE GIVES UP ITS KEY PRECEPTS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)