Artikel

Criminologisch onderzoek in verband met de desertie en de misdrijven van gemeen recht gepleegd door militairen

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Abstract

Criminological inquiry on desertion and common law offences by servicemen. Comparative study of this specific military offence and the common law offences based on a series of individual characteristics and situations prevailing the living sphere of the delinquents. - 1. This study is intended as a criminological approach to the specific military offence: desertion. In order to attain this aim, the technique of the comparative study of two groups is used. The first group is composed of fifty individuals (servicemen) handed over to the military justice for desertion. The second group consists of fifty servicemen charged with common law offences. 2. The characteristics concerning the individuality and the sphere of living of the convicted persons have been drawn from the records of the “Martial Court” in Ghent and of the Army Recruting Centre. The material is being processed in accordance with a well-defined work-scheme. Both groups are indeed examined on the ground of three aspects: Physical aspect: - medical qualifications - age at the time of the offence Psychological aspect: - talent (general intellect) - inducement to commit the offence - conduct and duty in the unit Environment aspect: - language spoken - military status and rank - family grounds (moral inquiry) - nature of the offence and of the punishment - judiciary record - disciplinary action - level of education 3. The comparative study of both groups is an attempt to check if the characteristics of the individuals and of their sphere of living are converging to a certain type of conduct and if there are permanent factors which are typical to a certain group. These data are being subjected to a psychometric treatment, i.e., the material collected on the individuals is classified by means of statistical methods. 4. The comparative study has led to the following characteristics which are common to either groups: Physical aspect - average age about 20 years; - practically no physical aberrations. Psychological aspect - general level of intellect: medium; - unadaptation to the sphere of living; - characterial value of the individuals. Environment aspect - quantitative proportion regulars - conscripts; - unfavourable family intercourse; - consequences of the inflicted sentence in the disciplinary field; - absence without leave is very frequently the reason for disciplinary action; - elementary education predominant. The diverging characteristics of both groups may be summarized as follows: - The group of deserters, homogeneous with respect to the committed offences, is also more homogeneous than the other group with respect to the age, general level of intelligence, spreading in the military rank and the level of education. - The group convicted for common law offences is of a higher intrinsic value than the group of deserters. Indeed, in the first group the physical and characterial values, as also the conduct and level of education, are preponderant. Furthermore, the negative characteristics such as the judiciary records, recidivism and disciplinary action are less favourable for the group of deserters. - Desertion is committed mostly under unhappy family conditions. A parallelism is generally observed between the judgments of the police and army officials and the judiciary records and the severe disciplinary actions. 5. Owing to the small number of persons tested, it is obvious that the above mentioned characteristics should only be considered as tendencies. However, it must be pointed out for the necessity to bring the terms of desertion to a same level and to secure the resocialization of the delinquent in the military sphere of living.

How to Cite:

Boddaert, J., (1970) “Criminologisch onderzoek in verband met de desertie en de misdrijven van gemeen recht gepleegd door militairen”, Tijdschrift voor Sociale Wetenschappen 15(2), 171–256. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/tvsw.95858