SOCIAL SCIENTISTS' CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEMISE OF DELINQUENCY REHABILITATION

• NCJ Number: 60753
• Journal: CRIME PREVENTION REVIEW Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY 1979) Pages: 23-30
• Author(s): J ROBOW; J J MANOS
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: California Office of the Attorney General Crime Prevention Unit
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CONCERN IS EXPRESSED ABOUT THE SIMPLIFIED APPROACH TAKEN BY SOCIAL SCIENTISTS TO THE REHABILITATION OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS AND THEIR EMPHASIS ON FEAR AND REPRESSION AS FACTORS OF SOCIAL CONTROL.

Abstract

THE WORK OF AIRCHHORN, ONE OF THE FOUNDING PIONEERS OF DELINQUENCY REHABILITATION, ILLUSTRATES WAYS IN WHICH SOCIAL SCIENTISTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEMISE OF REHABILITATION. WHILE FORCE AND FEAR TACTICS ARE IMPORTANT, THEY ARE ONLY PART OF MAJOR CONTROL SYSTEMS THAT ENCOMPASS PRESTIGE, WEALTH, AND LOVE. AICHHORN REGARDS FORCE AND THE THREAT OF FORCE AS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN NOT DIRECTLY COMMUNICATED, YET UNDERSTOOD BY JUVENILES. HIS IDEA IS THAT DISCIPLINE AND HARSHNESS REINFORCE THE AGGRESSIVENESS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS AND THAT SURENESS AND CERTAINTY NEED TO BE COMMUNICATED RATHER THAN HOSTILITY AND FEAR. NOTIONS OF EMPATHY AND LOVE ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF AICHHORN'S UNDERSTANDING AND STRATEGY. HE REFERS TO HIS PHILOSOPHY AS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF POSITIVE TRANSFERENCE. AICHHORN ARGUES THAT THERE ARE NO HARD AND FAST RULES FOR ESTABLISHING TRANSFERENCE. PSYCHOANALYSIS OFFERS AICHHORN A THEORETICAL BASE FROM WHICH HE EXPLAINS, SUBSTANTIATES, AND MODIFIES HIS WORK WITH DELINQUENTS. IT IS ARGUED THAT TWO MAJOR DYSFUNCTIONS IN CORRECTIONAL RESEARCH PERTAIN TO THE EMPHASIS ON PURE RESEARCH AND THE FAILURE OF RESEARCHERS TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES OF CLINICIANS. THIS EMPHASIS AND FAILURE HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LACK OF SCIENTIFIC PENOLOGY. FURTHER, A STRICT DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE ADDRESSES ONLY SOME VARIABLES WHILE IGNORING OTHERS, ALLOWS THE STUDY OF ONLY A LIMITED RANGE OF BEHAVIORAL DETERMINANTS, PERMITS THE TESTING OF SELECTED VARIABLES AND EXCLUDES OTHERS, AND ENCOURAGES CERTAIN METHODS OF INQUIRY TO THE EXCLUSION OF OTHER METHODS. AN APPRECIATION OF THE WORK OF AICHHORN CAN ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING OF THE REALITY AND COMPLEXIITY OF HUMAN LIFE AND CAN HELP TO DEVELOP A GENERALIZED AND ABSTRACT UNDERSTANDING OF GENUINE TREATMENT PRINCIPLES IN ACHIEVING THE LARGER GOAL OF HUMAN UNDERSTANDING. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)