NCJ Number
60170
Date Published
1975
Length
28 pages
Annotation
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE IN DETERMINING CRIMINAL POLICY (INCLUDING PREVENTIVE MEASURES) IS CRITICALLY ANALYZED.
Abstract
TWO QUESTIONS ARE ADDRESSED: (1) UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS DOES A GOVERNMENT ACT AS A RESPONSIBLE POLICYMAKER? AND (2) WHAT IS THE TRUE 'SCIENTIFIC' CONTENT OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES? IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTABLE AS RESPONSIBLE POLICY, A PROPOSED CHANGE MUST FULFILL THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: THE INNOVATION MUST HAVE A CLEARLY DEFINED GOAL; THE GOAL MUST HAVE BEEN EMPIRICALLY TESTED; THE MEANS FOR ATTAINING THE GOAL MUST BE EFFICIENT; AND THE GOALS ENVISAGED BY A GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE CONTRADICTORY IN THEMSELVES. IN ASSISTING THE GOVERNMENT IN ITS DECISIONS, EXPERTS MUST BE AWARE OF THE LIMITED SCIENTIFIC STATUS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES. THE MOST SEVERE LIMITATION IS THE LACK OF CLEAR SCIENTIFIC LAWS WHICH SOMETIMES LEADS EXPERTS TO GIVE TAUTOLOGICAL (AND THEREFORE BANAL) EXPLANATIONS AND MAKES PREDICTIONS OF CRIMINAL DEVELOPMENTS DIFFICULT. UNLIKE OTHER SCIENCES, THE SOCIAL SCIENCES HAVE NEGLECTED TO ESTABLISH A PRECISE TAXONOMY. MORAL PREFERENCES AND PREJUDICES FREQUENTLY CLOUD A RESEARCHER'S OBJECTIVITY. ALTHOUGH THE SOCIAL SCIENCES ARE BEST QUALIFIED TO ADVISE POLICYMAKERS BY DESCRIBING EXISTING SOCIAL PHENOMENA AND EVALUATING PROPOSED PROGRAMS, POLITICIANS MUST BE AWARE OF THESE SCIENTIFIC LIMITATIONS. AT THIS POINT, NO SOCIAL SCIENCE CAN GUARANTEE TO BRING ABOUT A DESIRABLE CHANGE IN AN INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY. --IN FRENCH. (SAJ)