NCJ Number
103420
Date Published
1986
Length
24 pages
Annotation
Results from a self-report deviance survey completed by 789 students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during 1985-86 showed that, on the average, students said they committed approximately 8 different types of deviate activities.
Abstract
The survey was administered to students in nine criminal justice classes and excluded anyone convicted of a felony. Of the respondents, 62 percent were male and 38 percent were female. About 52 percent claimed to be from urban areas and 48 percent from rural areas. Almost half said they were active in church, and one-third claimed a grade point average over 3.0. According to the survey, 65 percent of the students claimed to have stolen items worth less than $10, 80 percent said they had driven under the influence of alcohol, 18 percent of the females said they had been raped, and 6 percent of the males said they had committed a rape. Over half claimed they had used marijuana, and 83 percent said they had cheated on a test. Vandalism was reported by 61 percent, and 52 percent said they had stolen items from work. Despite these figures, nearly 90 percent claimed to be law-abiding citizens. Nearly two-thirds felt that criminals should be given harsher sentences than they now receive. The report discusses response differences according to sex, church membership, rural-urban residence, age, and grade point averages. 11 tables and 10 references.