CAREER
In common use this refers to the sequence of stages through which people in a particular
occupational sector move during the course of their employment . It has also been applied
to analyzing the various stages of an individual's involvement with criminal activity.
Career criminal is one whose criminality is like a career.
They have gone through the minor leagues to the majors and devote many aspects of their
life to criminality.
Career criminals tend to commit a large portion of the total
amount of crime in a community.
Career criminality is associated with an individual's exposure
to deviant sub-cultures especially those that exist in weakly controlled areas of society.
Prison Experience of Career Criminals
J Petersilia ; P Honig ; C Hubay
Corporate Author: Rand Corporation, United States
The treatment needs and custodial problems associated with career criminals are explored,
along with the question of whether these inmates are treated selectively.
Abstract: Data were obtained from samples of about 1,300 inmates from 11 prisons in
California, Michigan, and Texas. Inmate information was derived from official corrections
records and the inmate survey--a detailed questionnaire completed by the inmate. Education
and vocational training programs appeared to be vigorous, while alcohol and drug
rehabilitation programs, as well as counseling, seemed minimal. Analysis of all program
types shows that nearly half of the inmates who had participated felt the program would
reduce their future criminality. The effectiveness of the programs was not assessed. There
was little evidence that career criminal inmates have greater treatment needs than the
general prison population or that they participate less in relevant prison rehabilitation
programs. Neither do prison staffs identify and selectively deal with career criminals.
Career criminals were not found to be the primary source of prison violence. Younger
inmates committed more serious and frequent infractions of every type. It is recommended
that the corrections system continue its policy of using criminal history information in
determining initial custody rating and, as time passes, allowing placement and privileges
to be governed by institutional behavior. Further, it is suggested that no special
rehabilitation programs for career criminals be established at this time. In particular,
it is inappropriate that programs be tailored to those inmates prosecuted by special
career criminal units. It is advised, however, that although this study suggests that
career criminals are not more likely to exhibit negative prison behavior or attempt
escape, the situation may change in the next few years as career criminal prosecution
units focus on younger criminals with serious criminal histories. Tabular data and
references are provided. - ncjrs.gov/app/publications/Abstract.aspx?id=71103
CRIMINAL CAREER RESEARCH: ITS VALUE FOR CRIMINOLOGY
ALFRED BLUMSTEIN
JACQUELINE COHEN
DAVID P. FARRINGTON
In a recent paper published in this journal, Gottfredson and Hirschi (1986)1 argue that
the concepts of criminal careers, career criminals, selective incapacitation, prevalence,
and incidence, and longitudinal studies all have little value for criminology. In our view
their paper misrepresents these concepts and our research on these topics. We are pleased
to have the opportunity in this paper to develop these concepts more clearly and to show
their relevance for criminology. - blackwell-synergy.com
Criminal Careers and "Career Criminals," Volume
I (1986) - Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education - The National
Academies’ Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. |