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Crime and Chaos: Applying Nonlinear Dynamic Principles to Problems in Criminology

Federal Correctional Institution-Schuylkill, P.O. Box 700, Minersville, Pennsylvania 17954-0700, USA

Holism, nonlinear dynamics, sensitive dependence on initial conditions, and selforganization are examined in an effort to determine whether these concepts have applicability to research and theory on crime, criminals, and the criminal justice system. It is concluded that these concepts, all part of a growing science of chaos, show promise of clarifying conflicting empirical findings and resolving important theoretical issues within the general field of criminology. The topics covered in this article include empiricism and the problem of prediction, the reconciliation of polar opposites, reaffirming choice, and learning and socialization. A case example is used to illustrate how a chaotic interpretation of individual criminal behavior and change differs from the traditional positivist, classical, and rehabilitative perspectives.

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