ABSTRACT
A number of studies have examined why people do or do not respond when they observe criminal activities. Traditionally, the legal system has not punished the failure to report a crime. This study sought to ascertain whether a sample of college students and public citizens thought there should be legal punishments for the failure to report crimes. Respondents (N = 301) were presented a list of illegal acts and asked to select from a list (no punishment, fine, or prison sentences) what type of punishment should be enforced for failure to report that crime. Analysis indicated that the sample thought there should be punishments for most of the crimes, with a fine as the modal response. For more serious crimes, more serious punishments were selected, and there were some sex differences. It appeared that public support for such laws might be strong.
Subject(s)
Crime/prevention & control , Ethics , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Psychosocial and sociodemographic characteristics were obtained on a sample of 498 Missouri DWI offenders. The information included problems associated with alcohol use, past treatment, arrest data, stressful life events, depression, and substance abuse. Descriptive results are discussed in terms of theoretical and practical implications.
Subject(s)
Alcoholic Intoxication/psychology , Automobile Driving/psychology , Personality Assessment , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Alcohol Drinking/legislation & jurisprudence , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Alcoholic Intoxication/prevention & control , Automobile Driving/legislation & jurisprudence , Depression/psychology , Female , Humans , Life Change Events , Male , Middle Aged , Substance-Related Disorders/psychologyABSTRACT
A variety of studies have examined family variables in relation to juvenile delinquency. In order to measure the social environmental characteristics of families of adjudicated delinquents, a sample of 411 adolescent offenders was obtained, consisting of all youths aged 12-16 committed over a 16-month period of time. Information was obtained on the Family Environment Scale (FES), an instrument which measures perceptions of nuclear family environments. Data was also obtained on a variety of measures of personality, social, behavioral, and intellectual skills. Cluster analytic procedures on the FES data were used to develop an empirical typology of family environments. Several types were identified, and analysis of variance was utilized to determine if the other measures could describe the delinquents falling into the various types. Some clear-cut descriptors emerged, with implications for research and treatment.
