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Book Reviews : Crime in a Changing Society Howard Jones A Pelican Original 3s. 6d

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
DOI10.1177/026455056501100312
AuthorH. Heap
Published date01 September 1965
Date01 September 1965
Subject MatterArticles
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evidence to justify their optimism. The alarming history of Donald Hume is
recounted in detail-and, significantly perhaps, in much easier style than other
parts of the book-but it contributes little to their general argument, and one is
inclined to question the motive for its inclusion.
The authors’ strictures on prison are almost matched by their scepticism
about the value of the present probation system. Some very jaundiced comments
by probationers are quoted: &dquo;My bloke was always on holiday, or gone off on
what he called a course, the only times I really wanted him&dquo;. &dquo;My lot was too
stuck up. Been in the Navy, and made you feel you had pissed on the quarter
deck; I could never understand what he was driving at&dquo;. On the basis of this
kind of loose and unintelligent evidence, they dispense with probation which
smacks of retribution and advocate the Rehabilitation Service with a caseload
of ten for each oflicer. Perhaps a little fanciful and generally revealing a limited
appreciation of what probation achieves, in spite of the familiar, patronising
comments. Again no suggestion is made of where the extra thousands of officers
°°
are to come from.
One of the serious criticisms of the book is the biased selection of evidence.
Aspects are emphasised which help to justify their prejudices. For instance,
certain foreign establishments-and usually the more exotic-are praised with
almost sentimental rapture, while little attention is paid to their limitations, yet
scarcely a good word is said for any English establishment, except Homer Lane’s
&dquo;Little Commonwealth&dquo;, the Henderson Hospital, and one or two hostels.
The section on scientific sentencing contains some interesting proposals. A
team of qualified diagnosticians would advise every court on the correct treat-
ment of serious offenders and no person would be deprived of his freedom by
a court unless they made the recommendation. But is it not right that the
Judiciary should have the...

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