NCJ Number
56430
Journal
Contemporary Crises Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1978) Pages: 293-301
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
STATEMENTS OF PROFESSOR QUINNEY, A MARXIST WRITER, ARE CALLED INTELLECTUALLY SHODDY, AND THE VIEW IS EXPRESSED THAT BETTER WAYS EXIST FOR SUCH WRITERS TO PROVIDE THEORETICAL BASE FOR CHANGING THE SOCIETY.
Abstract
PROFESSOR QUINNEY'S STATEMENTS OF MARXIST CRIMINOLOGY ARE NOT ONLY INADEQUATE, BUT WILL BE A DISCREDIT TO THE LEFT FOR YEARS TO COME. BESIDES FLUCTUATING WILDLY BETWEEN EXTREME DETERMINISM AND EQUALLY EXTREME VOLUNTARISM, HE IMPUTES UNLIMITED POWER TO THE CAPITALIST STATE FOR CAUSING SOCIAL INJUSTICE. CRIMINALITY AND DEVIANCE FRIGHTEN PEOPLE IN EVERY CULTURE, INCLUDING SOCIALIST SOCIETIES AND MARXIST ANALYSIS OF EXISTING SOCIALIST CULTURES WILL UNCOVER THE USE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNIQUES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THE REPRESSIVE MEASURES USED IN CAPITALIST STATES. IF THE UNITED STATES IS MORE CRIME-RIDDEN THAN BOTH THE CAPITALIST AND SOCIALIST NATIONS OF EUROPE, THEN A PROPER CRIMINOLOGIC INQUIRY MUST LOOK BEYOND THE MODE OF PRODUCTION PER SE, AND LOOK INTO MANY OTHER EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. SOCIALISM MAY, HOWEVER, BE THE BEST EQUIPPED SYSTEM FOR MINIMIZING THE SUFFERING CAUSED BY ECONOMIC DEPRIVATIONS. RADICAL CRIMINOLOGISTS SHOULD NOT ABANDON THEIR EXPERTISE IN SEARCH OF FUTILE WAYS OF TOPPLING IMPERIALISM, RATHER THEY SHOULD OFFER PRACTICAL ADVICE AND INNOVATIVE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)