ABSTRACT
Criminologists have traditionally studied crime from a narrow legalistic framework, treating it as a problem unique to the lower class. For example, Tappan (1947:100) defines crime as “an intentional act in violation of the criminal law” and criminals as persons “held guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” These definitions illustrate the influence of law in defining the scope of criminology. The assumption that crime is primarily a lower-class problem, however, has permeated criminological thought throughout mostof this century.
