Crime, the Criminal, and Society

Abstract

This article, published in the Spring 1974 issue of Youth Authority Quarterly, was written by Dr. William Dienstein, professor of sociology and criminology at California State University at Fresno. The article discusses crime, the criminal and society. Law defines unacceptable behavior but the behavior itself, both legal and unlegal, is carried on by members of society. It is contended in this article that illegal behavior is a product of society itself rather than an expression of individual deviation. Sections of the article discuss: categories of offenders; biological factors and how they affect a person's disposition; how we begin biologically; and the effect of social conditions on our behavior and personality.