Book Reviews : Ideology and Insanity
| DOI | 10.1177/026455057502200118 |
| Published date | 01 March 1975 |
| Date | 01 March 1975 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
that of a control group which
He shows that when there is a gap
received no casework.
between government and sections of
Reader: How can such a finding be
the community, the police are caught
true? The experimental group must
in the middle, as it is their duty to
have been specially selected.
preserve public tranquillity even in
Reviewer: No. It was selected at
the face of organised and violent
random, as was the control group,
protest. This highlights the fact that
Reader: The period of release during
many police problems are not of
which
.
the men were followed up
their own making nor can they solve
:
must have been short.
them, although the public expects
I
Reviewer: No, the follow-up period
them to take action. It is described
was one of two years.
as &dquo;sitting on the lid of a pressure
Reader:
The difference
between
cooker when it really needs the
reconviction rates must have been
government to turn the gas dayn&dquo;.
’
small and scarcely significant.
Peter Evans examines the nature
Reviewer: No, there was a difference
of the Police Service in some detail
of 22 per cent.
and sees little wrong with their in-
.
Reader: It wasn’t the casework that
herited Victorian traditions, although
produced the results; it was just the
acknowledging that individuals break
special interest taken.
them. He makes a strong comparison
Reviewer: Isn’t special interest an
between the police and immigrants
essential ingredient of casework?
and pleads for more understanding
Reader: Casework stigmatises the
than has been shown to both. Al-
deprived and is an opiate for the
though scientific developments assist
oppressed.
in the detection of crime, he feels
Reviewer: Contrariwise. It helps the
there is still a lot to be said for &dquo;the
deprived and uplifts the oppressed.
practical copper&dquo;. In addition he
Reader: Prison officers are social
thinks that with their wealth of
workers and can do the job just as
practical knowledge local communi-
well.
ties...
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