Recent Book: A New Departure: Criminology Year Book
| Published date | 01 July 1980 |
| Author | Ken Russell |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X8005300319 |
| Date | 01 July 1980 |
| Subject Matter | Recent Book |
tailed to realise this in respect of
obstruction.
Page 280 Liquor Licensing - Police
Powers. Power of entry does not extend
to premises operating on occasional
licence outside times stated in the licence.
Page 286 Notifiable Diseases
"Rabies"?
Page
29/
Protection of Birds Act 1954.
Police Powers. which are very wide.
omitted completely.
Page294 Police Action - Poaching. -
"b"
- I disagree - if he fails to do either
he may be arrested.
What
about
returning to the land?
A NEW
DEPARTURE
SHELDON
L.
MESSINGER
and
EGON
BITTNER:
Criminologv Year Book Volume One.
Sage Publications Inc.
Criminology
is
undergoing
a
tremendous change accompanied by a
turning away from an overly optimistic
rehabilitative model and the
adoption
of
apragmatic eclectic
approach
to
solving problems. There is a growing
realisation of the politicalization of crime
and the criminalization of politics.
During this time the economic
approach
to crime. which is probablythe
first new idea in criminology for many
years to be advanced with vigour and
commitment. exemplified by a concern
for cost in terms of effectiveness, benefits
and
optimization
has
attracted
considerable attention. Perhapsof all the
33 paper grouped into seven major areas
Isaac &Ehrlich's contribution The
Economic Approach to crime is the most
valuabe not because of its complexity but
of the comprehensive nature of the essay.
Using the general principles of
economics Ehrlich argues cogently that
abetterunderstanding can be achieved of
such fundamental issues as "Does
punishment fit
deter
crime? Can the
behaviour of offenders be altered
through the effect of positive incentives?
Is criminal behaviour an expression of
biological aberations or 'social ills', or is
it to a significant degree a matter of
individual choice?"
Landes fascinating paper on aircraft
hijacking in the U.S.A. between 1961
and 1976 reveals the potency of the
economic argument for the increase in
the probability of apprehension. the
conditional probability of incarceration.
and the sentence are all associated with a
significant reduction in aircraft hi-
jackings.
An English flavour is introduced by
the inclusion of Thompson's "The Rule
of Law", Miller's "Police Authority in
London and New York City
1830-11HO"
and Pearson's
"Goths
and Vandals-
Crime in History." These contributions.
which are in the field of some of the most
interesting
and
promising
new
developments in criminology utilise
historical perspectives on crime.
Perhaps one of the most depressing
papers is contributed by Lundman and
Scarpitti, who examined 127attempts at
delinquency prevention. and concluded
that
"Few
prevention efforts give any
indication
of
having
successfully
prevented youngsters from engaging in
law violation."
One of the most valuable aspects of
this first volume is that the papers and
essays have either been specially
commissioned or have been published
elsewhere relatively recently. This
enhances the scholarship and makes the
book
a must for all who wish to be
abreast of developments in criminology.
KEN
RUSSELL
A
CLOSER
LOOK AT
ACCIDENTS
R. BYAlT.T.En.
(CEI)
AMIMI
ConEd.
and
R. WAlTS. of
NORFOLK
CONSTABULARY:
"Manual
of
Road
Accident Investigation Vol. I." Pitman. £4.50.
This is a
book
aimed at those police
officers who investigate
Road
Traffic
Accidents as one of their primary
functions,
Police Journal July 1980
The
book
is' written with obvious
enthusiasm and as
part
of its title.
"Volume I" indicates there are more
books in the series to follow.
289
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