Crime Control
| Published date | 01 October 1970 |
| Author | A. A. Muir |
| Date | 01 October 1970 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X7004301007 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
A. A.
MUIR,
C.B.E.,
Q.P.M.,
D.L.
Lately ChiefConstable
of
Durham
Mr. Muir reviews a particularly forceful and constructive book.
~RIME
~ONTROL
The Honest Politician's Guide to Crime Control is written by Norval
Morris, who is Julius Kreeger Professor of Law and Criminology
and Director of the Centre for Studies in Criminal Justice at the
University of Chicago, together with Gordon Hawkins who is
Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Sydney and
has also been a Fellow of the University of Wales and Assistant
Principal of the United Kingdom Prison Staff College.
It
is pub-
lished by the University of Chicago Press, at 50 shillings.
This book, which is addressed to the American public, is what the
title suggests. In the words of the blurb the authors say,
"We
have a
cure for crime. We offer not a lightning panacea but rather a legisla-
tive and administrative regimen which would substantially reduce
crime and the fear of crime".
It
would be easy for the reader on this side of the Atlantic to dis-
miss the book as an amusing sermon preached to the Americans.
The danger of doing this is increased by the fact
that
in addressing
the American public the authors often point to things which have
already been done in this country and suggest that the American
Government should follow suit.
We may dismiss the large and inclusive claim that the book pro-
vides an infallible recipe for controlling crime. This does not mean
that
we cannot learn something from the authors even if we don't
accept everything they say.
The first chapter is called "The Overreach
of
the Criminal Law".
In each chapter the authors state their general position about the
subject and then list what they call ukases; in other words they state
the measures they would like to see taken. The ukases in this chapter
are as follows:
(1) Drunkenness. Public drunkenness shall cease to be a criminal
offence.
(2) Narcotics and drug abuse. Neither the acquisition, purchase,
possession, nor the use of any drug will be a criminal offence.
The sale of some drugs other than by a licensed chemist (drug-
gist) and on prescription will be criminally proscribed;
proof
of
possession of excessive quantities may beevidence of a sale or
of
intent to sell.
October 1970
D
293
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