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The clinical approach to criminology1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

D. J. West
D. J. West*
Affiliation:
Professor of Clinical Criminology, Cambridge
*
1Address for correspondence: Professor D. J. West, Institute of Criminology, 7 West Rd, Cambridge CB3 9DT.
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Synopsis

The crucial importance of economic, social and political factors in the definition and incidence of crime is undeniable, as is the need for socio-political change, but the part played by individual characteristics in determining who becomes labelled a criminal should not be neglected. Clinical criminology studies offenders as individuals, examines their peculiarities and their social problems and seeks ways to help them to lead less troubled lives. A wide range of treatment interventions is required, the psychiatric approach is not always the most appropriate.

In view of the lack of success in reducing recidivism by means of treatment, penologists see little justification for continuing to try. More successes might be recognized if treatment schemes were applied with greater realism and discrimination, and if proper evaluations were made more often. In any event, some offenders need treatment regardless of the effect upon their offending behaviour.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , November 1980 , pp. 619 - 631
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

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Footnotes

1

This paper was presented in April 1980 as the nineteenth Sir Geoffrey Vickers Lecture, under the auspices of the Mental Health Foundation.

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