NCJ Number
49911
Journal
Criminology Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Dated: (AUGUST 1976) Pages: 283-286
Date Published
1976
Length
4 pages
Annotation
HOGAN'S 35-ITEM SURVEY OF ETHICAL ATTITUDES WAS USED TO STUDY THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MORAL DECISION STYLE, SOCIAL CLASS, AND OFFENSE COMMITTED. A COMBINATION OF MORAL DECISION STYLE AND SOCIAL CLASS PROVED PREDICTIVE.
Abstract
THE SURVEY WAS ADMINISTERED TO 194 PROBATIONERS. THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES OF OFFENSES WERE USED: VIOLENCE TO PERSON OR PROPERTY (ROBBERY, ASSAULT, CONCEALED WEAPONS) AND STEALING OFFENSES (FORGERY, SWINDLING, BURGLARY, THEFT, EMBEZZLING, SHOPLIFTING); ALCOHOL-RELATED OFFENSES (DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED) AND DRUG-RELATED OFFENSES. ALL SUBJECTS WERE FIRST OFFENDERS PROCESSED BY THE TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS, PROBATION DEPARTMENT JULY 26-NOVEMBER 30, 1971. PROBATIONERS WITH HIGHER ETHICAL ATTITUDE SCORES WERE FOUND TO BE MORE LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED FOR ALCOHOL-RELATED OFFENSES REGARDLESS OF SOCIAL CLASS; THOSE WITH THE LOWEST SCORES WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED FOR DRUG-RELATED OFFENSES. HOWEVER, THE MEAN SCORE FOR UPPER CLASS DRUG OFFENDERS WAS 10.21 WHILE THE MEAN SCORE FOR LOWER-CLASS OFFENDERS WAS 15.36. THOSE CONVICTED OF VIOLENCE/STEALING (POOLED) HAD SCORES OF 19.17 FOR UPPER CLASS OFFENDERS, 18.50 FOR LOWER CLASS. AGE MADE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT HOGAN'S MEASURE OF MORAL JUDGMENT ORIENTATION IS PROBABLY REFLECTING A DIMENSION OF MORALITY WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE KIND OF CRIME AN OFFENDER IS LIKELY TO COMMIT. NOTES, REFERENCES, AND TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)