NCJ Number
66207
Journal
Angolite Dated: (JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1980) Pages: 35-66
Date Published
1980
Length
32 pages
Annotation
CURRENT PROBLEMS ISSUING FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CAREER CRIMINAL LEGISLATION AND PROGRAMS ARE EXAMINED FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE CRIMINALS THEMSELVES AND OF THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM.
Abstract
BASED ON THE THEORY OF JUST DESERTS, CAREER CRIMINAL PROGRAMS INVOLVE TARGETING THOSE OFFENDERS WHO COMMIT SERIOUS CRIMINAL OFFESES OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND REMOVING THEM FROM SOCIETY BY MEANS OF LONG INCARCERATION. THEIR RATIONALE IS IN THE FAILURE OF REHABILITATIVE APPROACHES AND IN THE CRIMINAL PERSONALITY THEORY, WHICH STATES THAT SOME PEOPLE CHOOSE TO BE EVIL. LEAA-FUNDED CAREER CRIMINAL PROGRAMS ONGOING IN 22 CITIES AIM AT OFFENDERS WITH PRIOR ARRESTS OR CONVICTIONS FOR SERIOUS CRIMES. THESE REPEAT OFFENDERS ARE PROSECUTED VIGOROUSLY ON PRIORITY DOCKETING BY EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS WHO ARGUE FOR MAXIMUM SENTENCES. NEW ORLEANS WAS THE FIRST CITY TO ESTABLISH A CAREER CRIMINAL BUREAU. LEAA STATISTICS REVEAL THAT BETWEEN 1975 AND 1977 $62 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES RESULTED IN 5,000 CONVICTIONS WITH AN AVERAGE 14-YEAR SENTENCE. ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING AND PROGRAMS WERE LEGISLATED BY THE REPEAT OFFENDER PROSECUTION AND PRISON IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1978. SEVERAL PROBLEMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE PROGRAMS HOWEVER. FOR INSTANCE OFFENDERS ARE PENALIZED AGAIN FOR CRIMES ALREADY EXPIATED IN THE PAST, AND THE MAJORITY OF OFFENDERS REMOVED FROM SOCIETY ARE ALREADY PAST THE ZENITH OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, SINCE STUDIES SHOW THAT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IS GREATEST BETWEEN THE AGES OF 20 AND 30. MOREOVER, DISPARITIES IN SENTENCING REMAIN, AND REHABILITATION HAS BEEN ABANDONED. FURTHERMORE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE NOT PREPARED WITH PROGRAMS AIMED SPECIFICALLY AT THE CAREER CRIMINALS. QUESTIONS OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS ALSO ARISE, AND THE DILEMMA OF WHAT TO DO WITH THE SEGMENT OF OUR SOCIETY ROTTING IN PRISON REMAINS UNANSWERED. THE ARTICLE INCLUDES ILLUSTRATIONS, CAREER OFFENDER PROFILES AND HISTORIES, AND FOOTNOTES. (MRK) 700,000 PEOPLE ARE BEHIND BARS, THE AVERAGE COST OF KEEPING 1 INMATE 1 YEAR WILL BE $17,00 TO $25,000. OTHER ALTERNATIVES EMERGING INVOLVE CONTROLLING THE MINDS AND BODIES OF PRISONERS WITHOUT PRISONS USING ENGINEERING AND BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR INCAPACITATION. THE ARTICLE INCLUDES ILLUSTRATIONS, CAREER OFFENDER PROFILES AND HISTORIES, AND FOOTNOTES. (MRK)