U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING OR OMNIPRESENT SOCIAL CONTROL

NCJ Number
68046
Journal
ANNALES DE VAUCRESSON Dated: SPECIAL NUMBER (JULY 1977) Pages: 7-19
Author(s)
H VANBOSTRAETEN
Date Published
1977
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF SOCIAL CONTROL WEAKENS INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES AND IMPOSES THE WILL OF THE DOMINANT SOCIAL GROUP ON THE REST OF SOCIETY.
Abstract
PERSUASIVE SOCIAL CONTROL, WHICH EXISTED IN EARLIER TIMES THROUGH CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS, IS YIELDING TO INSTITUTIONAL JUSTICE IN THE FORM OF A PROGRESSIVELY MORE COMPLICATED CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. BY THE END OF THE 18TH CENTURY, THE DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS OFFICIAL CONTROL WAS CHARACTERIZED BY THE EMERGENCE OF WORK HOUSES IN WHICH ALL CITIZENS WHO WERE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO WORK (INCLUDING CRIMINALS, BEGGARS, AND THE POOR) WERE FORCED TO WORK. IN THE MODERN CONSUMER-ORIENTED SOCIETY, THOSE UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO CONSUME (E.G., HIPPIES, THE OLD, AND THE POOR) HAVE BECOME MARGINAL GROUPS AND ARE EXPOSED TO CONTINUAL SURVEILLANCE BY THE ORGANS OF SOCIAL CONTROL. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN BELGIAN LAW ALSO INDICATE THAT LEGAL NORMS HAVE BECOME LESS RIGID; MUCH OF THE DECISION TO INTERVENE IS LEFT UP TO THE DISCRETION OF JUDGE, PSYCHIATRIST, OR MEDICAL EXPERT. THE SHIFT FROM PERSUASIVE TO INSTITUTIONAL JUSTICE AND THE GREATER FLEXIBILITY OF LEGAL REGULATIONS LIMIT INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM AND IMPOSE THE WILL OF THE RULING CLASS ON AN INCREASINGLY COMPARTMENTALIZED SOCIETY. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. --IN FRENCH.