NCJ Number
42285
Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND PENOLOGY Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (MAY 1977) Pages: 159-170
Date Published
1977
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER SEES FUTURE ADVANCES IN CRIMINOLOGY TO DEPEND ON A COOPERATIVE APPROACH OF PROBLEM SOLVING BETWEEN CONSENSUS THEORISTS WHO CONCENTRATE ON THE REFORM OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND CONFLICT THEORISTS WHO SEEK SOCIAL REFORM.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR SEES CONSENSUS THEORISTS IN CRIMINOLOGY TO BE MOST HELPFUL IN FOCUSING ON CHANGES IN INDIVIDUAL CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IN ORDER TO ADJUST TO EXISTING SOCIAL NORMS, WHILE BEING WEAK IN INFLUENCING CHANGES IN SOCIAL VALUES AND STRUCTURES THAT CONDITION OR UNFAIRLY LABEL CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. CONFLICT THEORISTS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE CONSIDERED STRONG IN POINTING THE WAY TOWARD SOCIAL REFORM THAT WILL MORE ADEQUATELY MEET THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF A SOCIETY'S MEMBERS, WHILE BEING WEAK IN HELPING INDIVIDUALS TO FIND A SATISFACTORY ADJUSTMENT TO EXISTING SOCIAL FORMS. THE AUTHOR COUNSELS THAT EACH PERSPECTIVE MUST ACCOMMODATE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE OTHER PERSPECTIVE AND SEEK AGREEMENT THROUGH SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ABOUT WHERE THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES MUST OCCUR IN THE INTERACTION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SOCIETY. ...RCB