In a world of rising expectations, dissatisfaction and frustration are also not uncommon. These aspects of a changing society which is in a process of rapid economic and social transformation would call for systematic study. Another area of criminal behaviour which is relatively new to underdeveloped countries pertains to the crimes in the field of commerce and industry. Here the shortages, controls and restraints contribute to the emergence of new forms of crime in which the offender is not the unfortunate victim of circumstances of his environment and breeding, but the respectable citizen of social status whose upbringing and economic situation would ordinarily make it difficult for one to associate him with anti-social behaviour. And yet, the white collar criminal poses a forbidding challenge to the criminologist in modern society. 'So long as criminologists confine their attention to the traditional forms of criminal behaviour and that too in the socially and economically backward classes, this relatively new dimension to the criminology will not receive the attention it deserves.
We in India have been engaged in the task of economic development for the last two decades. No doubt, our attention has been primarily focussed on the question of economic development and to that extent it has not been possible for us to accord a very high priority to the fields of social welfare and social defence. However, there has always been an appreciation of the inter-relationship of social and economic aspects of development. That is why even with a severe constraint of resources, we have been attempting to achieve a coordinated development not only in terms of big productive machines but also in terms of improving the health, sanitation and education of the poor and creating conditions for a vigorous social advance. There is no doubt that as the constraint on resources grows less severe, greater attention will be paid towards strengthening our social defence, to lessen the stresses and strains of economic development and change in the social fabric.
The first step towards accelerating our pace in the field of social defence will be to conduct and encourage scientific research in all the problems relating to social defence. The Government of India are fully alive to this need and would do everything in their power to meet it. Some significant beginnings have already been made in this direction. It is quite appropriate that we should discuss and fix the priorities in research, since the area that needs to be covered is vast and the resources — both human and financial — are limited. It is for this reason that I would urge for a pragmatic and coordinated approach. We should aim not at the abstract and fundamental kind of research at this stage. Our highest need is of applied research which can be put to use immediately. In all these matters the techniques, methodology and approach must be suited to the local environment and local conditions.
