Tavistock Press was established as a co-operative venture between the Tavistock Institute and Routledge & Kegan Paul (RKP) in the 1950s to produce a series of major contributions across the social sciences. This volume is part of a 2001 reissue of a selection of those important works which have since gone out of print, or are difficult to locate. Published by Routledge, 112 volumes in total are being brought together under the name The International Behavioural and Social Sciences Library: Classics from the Tavistock
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A historical review of British legislation on mind-altering drugs suggests that a moral panic developed during the mid-1960s as members of fringe groups began experimenting with substances classified as narcotics. By defining drug control as a social welfare issue -- rather than a political issue -- British legislators allowed the use of police surveillance & search warrants in the fight against drugs. As a result, individual rights were eroded more effectively by those intending to do good than by those waging a direct attack on individual freedom. A case for suspending penal measures designed to control the use of illicit substances is made. M. Maguire
Abstract: The United States frequently anticipates social problems which later appear in the United Kingdom, and the similarities between the two democracies often conceal significant differences. This is so in the case of the procedures of the criminal justice system. The independent Supreme Court, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and the 'class action' procedures are not available here. The author considers the ways in which trends in the two countries have moved and the impact of these on research, and research implementation strategies in the United Kingdom. Criminology in the U.K. is diagnosed as suffering from a 'chill'. However, there are methods whereby light can be thrown upon almost any topic, and the criminologist in the United Kingdom must accept the challenge and be more innovative.
The incarceration of offenders (in prisons) with a view to their reformation was a social invention of the early Americans—the Quakers of Pennsylvania—some 200 years ago. The view that the goal of rehabilitation of offenders is either impossible or undesirable or both is now gaining ground rapidly. It has also become widely accepted, as the result of research and general experience, that the simplification of the problem of crime to the problem of the offender leads nowhere. The anchor points for moral values have been eroding, and reference to authority figures or symbols for guidance as to what is right and just is regarded as unsatisfactory. The concept of equity (which in volves comparisons between items) has come to be preferred over the concept of justice (which refers to a fixed ideal). Parole determinations, for example, may be "arbitrary" but they must not be "capricious." Justification of punishment for socially damaging behavior relies on the idea of com mensurateness ("deserts"). This raises to a new level of urgency the issue of doing justice in an unjust society—a difficulty which the prior philosophy of the treatment of offenders was able to avoid.
THE IMPRISONMENT OF OFFENDERS WITH A VIEW TO THEIR REFORMATION WAS A SOCIAL INVENTION OF THE EARLY AMERICANS--THE QUAKERS OF PA--SOME 200 YEARS AGO. THE VIEW THAT THE GOAL OF REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS IS IMPOSSIBLE, UNDESIRABLE, OR BOTH IS NOW GAINING GROUND RAPIDLY. IT HAS ALSO BECOME WIDELY ACCEPTED, AS THE RESULT OF RESEARCH & GENERAL EXPERIENCE, THAT THE SIMPLIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM OF CRIME TO THE PROBLEM OF THE OFFENDER LEADS NOWHERE. THE ANCHOR POINTS FOR MORAL VALUES HAVE BEEN ERODING & REFERENCE TO AUTHORITY FIGURES OR SYMBOLS FOR GUIDANCE AS TO WHAT IS RIGHT & JUST IS REGARDED AS UNSATISFACTORY. THE CONCEPT OF 'EQUITY' (WHICH INVOLVES COMPARISONS BETWEEN ITEMS) HAS COME TO BE PREFERRED OVER THE CONCEPT OF 'JUSTICE' (WHICH REFERS TO A FIXED IDEAL). PAROLE DETERMINATIONS MAY BE 'ARBITRARY' BUT THEY MUST NOT BE 'CAPRICIOUS'. JUSTIFICATION OF PUNISHMENT FOR SOCIALLY DAMAGING BEHAVIOR RELIES ON THE IDEA OF COMMENSURATENESS ('DESERTS'). THIS RAISES TO A NEW LEVEL OF URGENCY THE ISSUE OF DOING JUSTICE IN AN UNJUST SOCIETY--A DIFFICULTY WHICH THE PRIOR PHILOSOPHY OF THE TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS WAS UNABLE TO AVOID. 1 FIGURE. MODIFIED HA.
The probability that the criminal justice system will suffer a complete breakdown before the year 2000 should not be discounted. If law and social control systems are to accommodate change in their environment at the necessary rate, a new philosophy, as well as quite different operating procedures, must be worked out. The present strategy of law enforcement agencies to develop more-of-the-same can only ensure breakdown. Pressures for control will increase, and with each new pressure on criminals, more side-effects of these pressures will have an impact upon all citizens. The best moral standard which can be expected to guide policy in the intervening years is enlightened self-interest; this may suffice to ensure survival. The quality of that survival may be improved by the development of a new class of moral philosophers out of the ranks of scientists and technicians. No great new moral leadership is expected from organized religions. Politics will mix dangerous sentimentality and nos talgia with more than a small modicum of fear. Much of that fear will be focused on the criminal. Millions of dollars will continue to be wasted on research. If we wish for a better kind of future for criminal justice, we must start to invent it now. However, there is no indication that we are ready to consider the necessary issues.
The probability that the criminal justice system will suffer a complete breakdown before the yr 2000 should not be discounted. If law & soc control systems are to accommodate change in their environment at the necessary rate, a new philosophy, as well as quite diff operating procedures, must be worked out. The present strategy of law enforcement agencies to develop more-of-the-same can only ensure breakdown. Pressures for control will increase, & with each new pressure on criminals, more side-effects of these pressures will have an impact upon all citizens. The best moral standard which can be expected to guide policy in the intervening yrs is enlightened self-interest; this may suffice to ensure survival. The quality of that survival may be improved by the development of a new class of moral philosophers out of the ranks of sci'ts & technicians. No great new moral leadership is expected from org'ed religions. Pol will mix dangerous sentimentality & nostalgia with more than a small modicum of fear. Much of that fear will be focused on the criminal. Millions of dollars will continue to be wasted on res. If we wish for a better kind of future for criminal justice, we must start to invent it now. However, there is no indication that we are ready to consider the necessary issues. HA.
