E-Book Overview
In a major new theory of criminal behavior, Mark Colvin argues that chronic criminals emerge from a developmental process characterized by recurring, erratic episodes of coercion. Colvin's differential coercion theory , which integrates several existing criminological perspectives, lays out a compelling argument that coercive forces create social and psychological dynamics that lead to chronic criminal behavior. While Colvin's presentation focuses primarily on chronic street criminals, the theory is also applied to exploratory offenders and white-collar criminals. In addition, Colvin presents a critique of current crime control measures, which rely heavily on coercion, and offers in their place a comprehensive crime reduction program based on consistent, non-coercive practices.
E-Book Content
Crime and Coercion An Integrated Theory of Chronic Criminality
Mark Colvin
Crime and Coercion An Integrated Theory of Chronic Criminality
Mark Colvin
CRIME AND COERCION
Copyright © 2000 Mark Colvin. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, Scholarly and Reference Division, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010. ISBN 0-312-23389-2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data to be found at the Library of Congress. Design by Letra Libre, Inc. First edition: July 2000 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
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To the grandchildren
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Contents
Acknowledgments List of Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Introduction Emergence of a Differential Coercion Theory of Criminality The Immediate Contexts of Coercion The Larger Contexts of Coercion: Economics and Culture Coercion in the Foreground of Crime A Theory-Driven Response to Crime: Toward A Non-Coercive Society
Appendix: A Guide to Literature on Measuring Key Variables Notes References Index
vi viii 1 9 53 89 115 139
177 185 193 212
Acknowledgments
pecial thanks go to Francis T. Cullen, who gave me valuable advice throughout this project, and to Suzanne Colvin, who read early drafts, discussed and listened to my ideas, and who, over the years, has provided much needed encouragement, love, and moral support.Tom Vander Ven provided insightful comments on the final manuscript of this book. Any work in criminological theory builds on the ideas of other criminologists who have provided important insights into the causes of criminal behavior. I owe a debt to all the criminologists I cite and discuss in this book.Without their pioneering efforts, this book would not have been possible. I hope that I have (at least partially) lived up to their fine examples. Many of the original ideas contained in this book grew out of discussions and collaboration with John Pauly with whom I presented an integrated theory of delinquency in an article published in the American Journal of Sociology (Colvin and Pauly 1983). John’s indispensable contribution to that article continues to greatly influence my thinking about criminal behavior and its relation to larger political and economic structures. I must also acknowledge the great debt I owe to my first criminology professor, Raymon C. Forston, who taught me respect for careful, logical, empirically-based arguments in developing knowledge about crime and punishment. My department chair, Joe Scimecca, provided much encouragement and protected my time so that I could complete this book. While I was in the middle of writing this book, I lost two important friends to cancer. First was my father, Emmett Colvin, a renowned criminal defense attorney who practiced law in Texas. H