NCJ Number
14937
Journal
Acta Criminologica Volume: 7 Dated: (JANUARY 1974) Pages: 11-52
Date Published
1974
Length
42 pages
Annotation
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY EXPLAINING RECIDIVISM AND THE HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF THE PENAL SYSTEM.
Abstract
STUDIES ANALYZING THE REACTION OF GROUPS TO SOCIAL DEVIANTS ARE USED TO POSTULATE TWO BASIC TYPES OF PUNISHMENT - CORRECTIVE AND STIGMATIZING. CORRECTIVE PUNISHMENT ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR OF THE DEVIANT AND TO KEEP HIM IN THE GROUP. STIGMATIZING PUNISHMENT ATTACHES A NEGATIVE LABEL TO THE DEVIANT AND REJECTS HIM FROM THE GROUP. IF A DEVIANT IS RECEPTIVE TO GROUP INFLUENCE, HE WILL PROBABLY REACT TO CORRECTIVE PUNISHMENT BY CONFORMING TO GROUP NORMS. IF HE IS SUBJECTED TO STIGMATIZING PUNISHMENT, HE MAY INTERNALIZE A CRIMINAL IDENTITY, ENTER INTO CONFLICT WITH THE GROUP, AND BECOME INTEGRATED INTO A CRIMINAL SUB-GROUP. A DEVIANT THUS HAS A GREATER TENDENCY TO RECIDIVATE IF THE PREDOMINANT REACTION TO HIS OFFENSE IS STIGMATIZING THAN IF IT IS CORRECTIVE. IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE PENAL SYSTEM THE STATE TENDS TO RESORT MORE TO CORRECTION AND LESS TO STIGMATIZING AS SOCIETY BECOMES MORE COMPLEX. IMPRISONMENT WAS DEVELOPED AS A PUNISHMENT DURING A TRANSITION PERIOD WHEN STIGMATIZING WAS LOSING OUT IN FAVOR OF CORRECTION. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT PRISONS WILL EVENTUALLY FALL INTO DISUSE, SINCE THEY ARE A MIXED SYSTEM PURSUING INCOMPATIBLE GOALS OF BOTH CORRECTION AND STIGMATIZING. THE ARTICLE IS FOLLOWED BY ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, GERMAN, AND RUSSIAN, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) --IN FRENCH