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Donald Black's Sociology of Law: A Critique

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2024

David F. Greenberg
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Abstract

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The paper examines the theoretical and empirical adequacy of Donald Black's (1976) The Behavior of Law. The work is found to be logically incoherent and its operationalization of variables problematic. The evidence that bears on its propositions does not consistently support them.

Type
Research Article
Information
Law & Society Review , Volume 17 , Issue 2: Special Issue: Psychology and Law , 1983 , pp. 337 - 368
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 The Law and Society Association.

Footnotes

*

An earlier version of this paper was presented to the Conference on Critical Legal Studies in 1980. I am grateful for comments and suggestions on the earlier draft to Piers Beirne, Donald Black, Candace Kruttschnitt, Martha A. Myers, Slawomir M. Redo, Dennis Smith, Stanton Wheeler, Dennis Wrong, and the anonymous journal reviewers. Richard O. Lempert's editorial suggestions were especially valuable.

References

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