Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Offenders on Offending: Learning about Crime from Criminals by W. Bernasco

2011; Wiley; Volume: 50; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1468-2311.2011.00661_1.x

1468-2311

Nic Groombridge,

Crime Patterns and Interventions

(Ed.) . Cullompton : Willan ( 2010 ) 328pp . £65.00hb ISBN 978-1-84392-777-8 £25.00pb ISBN 978-1-84392-776-1 I agree with both Michael Tonry, in his foreword, and Wim Bernasco, the editor of this selection, on the importance of hearing the voices of criminals within criminology, but would point to the work of Tony Parker and Pat Carlen's collection as places where that voice can be heard louder (see Soothill 1999; Carlen 1985). The voice of criminals on crime does come through this collection of papers presented at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement in October 2008; but mostly we hear criminologists engaged in methodological debate. Space precludes discussion of all 16 contributions but the mix of methods, settings, nationalities and jurisdictions (for instance, Austria, Czech Republic, Canada, UK, USA and Sri Lanka) is a very useful counterpoint to the single focus of much criminology. Field settings are mentioned but most are prison-based. The book forms a particular corrective to methodological ‘cookbooks’. Thus we find Scott Jacques and Richard Wright arguing, in Chapter 3, that offenders deeper in the system are interviewed most and need least motivating but also provide less valuable insights. Yet in the next chapter, Heith Copes and Andy Hochstetler argue strongly for the value of prison interviews. Not all texts or modules would entertain such diversity of views. In the worst ‘cookbooks’ gender is often downplayed or sidelined, so Jody Miller's contribution is particularly valuable. She opens: ‘The interview is an unavoidably gendered interaction’ (p.161) and sets out some of the necessary feminist theory but also recognises the tendency to ignore male researchers' experience. She then sets out the complex interplay of gender, ‘race’/ethnicity, age, class, life experience etc., of researchers and researched in three settings: Jody, young and white, Rod of urban African-American origin and Niquita, light-skinned, middle-class black woman interviewing young female black gang members. Rod was told of victimisation, some reacted to Jody's feminist-inspired inquiries and Niquita had difficulties with empathy. A young white European man and a young black urban woman interview young black men about ‘pullin a train’ (gang bang, gang rape). Dennis was told about ‘performance’ whereas Toya received less graphic accounts but caused some defensiveness. Jody and a young ‘modern’ Sri Lankan woman interview police officers about their use of prostitutes. Both were heavily hit-on and Manika censured for her modernity, but also stalked! Thus gender was highly significant between, but also within, sexes; no sisterly solidarity or male collusion could be presumed. Welcome though this book is, I'm unconvinced that ‘People working primarily within quantitative traditions will see what they have been missing’ (p.xix) and must correct Tonry's contention that Punch magazine continues to this day.