NCJ Number
49079
Journal
Crime and Social Justice Dated: (SPRING-SUMMER 1978) Pages: 26-34
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
STATISTICS INDICATIVE OF THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF STREET CRIME -- ITS VARIETIES, RATES, VICTIMS, HISTORY -- ARE REVIEWED WITHIN A SOCIALIST CONTEXT.
Abstract
IT IS FIRST POINTED OUT THAT THE PHENOMENON OF STREET CRIME HAS BEEN LARGELY IGNORED BY THE POLITICAL LEFT IN THE UNITED STATES. ON THE ONE HAND, STREET CRIME IS TREATED MORALISTICALLY AND ATTRIBUTED TO THE PARASITICAL ELEMENTS (LUMPENPROLETARIAT) IN CAPITALIST SOCIETY. ON THE OTHER HAND, STREET CRIME IS GLOSSED OVER AS AN INVENTION OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION TO DIVERT ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE CRIMES OF THE RULING CLASS OR ROMANTICIZED AS A FORM OF PRIMITIVE REBELLION. IT IS ASSERTED THAT THE POLITICAL SOLUTION TO STREET CRIME LIES NEITHER IN MYSTIFYING THE SITUATION WITH ALLUSIONS TO 'SOCIAL BANDITRY,' NOR IN REDUCING THE PROBLEM TO A MANIFESTATION OF 'LUMPEN' VICIOUSNESS. IT IS ARGUED THAT, WHILE THE LINK BETWEEN STREET CRIME AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IS CLEAR, STREET CRIME CANNOT BE EXPLAINED BY POVERTY ALONE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT STREET CRIME SHOULD BE APPROACHED NOT ONLY AS A PRODUCT OF UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH AND CHAOTIC LABOR MARKET PRACTICES, BUT ALSO AS AN ASPECT OF THE DEMORALIZING SOCIAL RELATIONS AND INDIVIDUALISTIC IDEOLOGY THAT CHARACTERIZE CAPITALISM AT ITS HIGHEST STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT. SUPPORTING DATA ON CRIME AND DELINQUENCY RATES AND VICTIMIZATION ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)