NCJ Number
59347
Journal
International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (WINTER 1978) Pages: 191-205
Date Published
1978
Length
15 pages
Annotation
FOCUSING ON THE PHENOMENON OF CRIME IN ASIA (EXCLUDING ISRAEL AND THE ARAB NATIONS), THIS ARTICLE SKETCHES THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES AND THE RISE OF CRIMINOLOGY AS A SCIENCE.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH CRIME IN ASIA HAS GROWN MARKEDLY IN URBAN AREAS, THE EXTENT OF CRIME IS NOT SO GREAT AS IN THE WEST. IN JAPAN, THERE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A DECLINE IN THE MOST SERIOUS OFFENSES OVER A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS; IN THE PHILIPPINES, CRIME HAS BEEN SAID TO BE UNDER CONTROL SINCE 1972 BY MARTIAL LAW; AND IN SINGAPORE, THE SERIOUS OFFENSES HAVE DECLINED APPARENTLY IN RESPONSE TO MORE SEVERE PENALTIES. YET, IN THE LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS OF THAILAND, BETWEEN 1966 AND 1970 THE CRIME RATE PER 100,000 GREW FROM 13.7 TO 18.21. SUCH FIGURES SUFFER FROM ASIA'S TECHNOLOGICAL SHORTCOMINGS IN CRIME RECORDING AND DATA COLLECTION; HOWEVER, BASED UPON THE SAFETY IN THE STREETS OF THE LARGE CAPITALS AND THE ABSENCE OF PATHOLOGICAL (MOTIVELESS) TYPES OF CRIMES, THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME APPEARS TO BE LOW. ALTHOUGH EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY LIFE IN ASIA APPEARS TO PREVENT WESTERN-STYLE ALIENATION, MOST ASIAN NATIONS HAVE PENAL CODES, BORROWED FROM THE WEST, PROVIDING A RECOGNIZABLE LIST OF DEFENSES WHICH ARE COMPATIBLE WITH COMMUNITY VALUES. THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE CONCEPTS DIFFERS BETWEEN EAST AND WEST IN THAT THE EAST EMPHASIZES OBLIGATIONS AND SOCIAL RELATIONS AND THE WEST STRESSES HUMAN RIGHTS AND INDIVIDUALITY. ALTHOUGH BOTH CULTURES VALUE LIFE AND LIBERTY AND BOTH ARE CONCERNED THAT THERE BE A LEVEL OF PUBLIC SAFETY SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES TO PURSUE THEIR DESTINIES, ASIA IS IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION TO MOBILIZE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AGAINST CRIME AND TO UTILIZE ITS INTEGRATED COMMUNITY STRUCTURE TO PREVENT POTENTIAL DEVIANT BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL DISSATISFACTION. FUTURE CRIME PREVENTION TECHNIQUES AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES WILL REFLECT THE PATH ASIAN NATIONS CHOOSE TO FOLLOW AS A RESULT OF MODERNIZATION AND INDUSTRIALIZATION--THE DECLINING TRADITIONAL AND FAMILY SOLIDARITY OCCURRING IN THE WEST OF THE BUREAUCRATIC, HIGHLY CENTRALIZED CONTROL OF ALL MOVEMENT TYPICAL IN COMMUNIST NATIONS. IT IS NECESSARY FOR ASIA TO DEVELOP ITS OWN FORM OF CRIMINOLOGY BASED MORE ON COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND VALUES THAN ON ASSIMILATION OF WESTERN IDEAS. TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN INSTITUTES OF CRIMINOLOGY, ASIAN NATIONS MAY USE SUCH APPROACHES AS THE RELIANCE ON UNIVERSITIES PROMINENT IN THE U.S., PRIVATELY ENDOWED RESEARCH BODIES, OR THE AUSTRALIAN DEPENDENCE UPON A PUBLIC INSTITUTION INDEPENDENT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SEVERAL REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)