RACIAL PATTERNS OF MILITARY CRIMES IN VIETNAM

• NCJ Number: 48392
• Journal: Psychiatry Volume: 39 Issue: 1 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1976) Pages: 51-64
• Author(s): J KROLL
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: William Alanson White Psychiatric Foundation
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

EVERY MILITARY PRISONER SENTENCED TO THE UNITED STATES DISCIPLINARY BARRACKS IN 1968-1969 FOR OFFENSES COMMITTED IN VIETNAM WAS STUDIED. SIGNIFICANT RACIAL DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND IN THE TYPES OF CRIMES COMMITTED.

Abstract

AS PART OF A LARGER STUDY OF U.S. SOLIDERS WHO COMMITTED OFFENSES WHILE SERVING IN VIETNAM AND WERE SENTENCED TO THE DISCIPLINARY BARRACKS, IN FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, A STUDY OF RACIAL PATTERNS WAS CONDUCTED. THE SAMPLE POPULATION CONSISTED OF 293 PRISONERS WHO ARRIVED IN 1968-1969 COMPRISING ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL PRISON POPULATION. THE REST HAD COMMITTED CRIMES IN THE U.S. OR AT OTHER POSTS. TWICE AS MANY WHITE SOLDIERS (41) AS BLACK (17) WERE INCARCERATED FOR AWAY WITHOUT LEAVE (AWOL). HOWEVER, 40 BLACK SOLDIERS VERSUS 19 WHITE SOLDIERS REFUSED FIELD COMBAT. TWICE AS MANY BLACK SOLDIERS AS WHITE WERE CONVICTED FOR VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST OTHER U.S. SOLDIERS (43 VERSUS 26), WHILE 36 WHITE SOLDIERS VERSUS 6 BLACK SOLDIERS WERE INCARCERATED FOR CRIMES AGAINST VIETNAMESE. THE INCIDENCE OF INCARCERATIONS PER 100,000 SOLDIERS WAS MUCH HIGHER FOR BLACKS FOR EVERY CATEGORY OF CRIME EXCEPT VIOLENCE AGAINST A VIETNAMESE NATIONAL. INDEPTH STUDY OF THE PRISONERS FOUND THAT THE WHITE SOLDIERS CARRIED A RACIAL MINDSET INTO THE VIETNAMESE WAR AND OFTEN EXTENDED RACIAL HOSTILITY TOWARD THE VIETNAMESE. BLACK SOLDIERS, COMING FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS AND RACIAL TENSION OF THE 1960'S, TENDED TO SEE THE VIETNAMESE IN A MORE SYMPATHETIC LIGHT. NONE OF THE SIX VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST VIETNAMESE WERE OF A SADISTIC OR VIOLENT NATURE. TWO WERE BARROOM BRAWLS RESULTING IN MURDER, ONE WAS AN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING OF A VIETNAMESE GIRL FRIEND, TWO WERE RELATED TO BURGLARIES, AND ONE INVOLVED SHOOTING A PRISONER IN THE FIELD. HOWEVER, THE ASSAULTS ON OTHER U.S. SOLIDERS OFTEN SHOWED RACIAL VIOLENCE AND TENSION. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE WAR RELATED STRESS INCREASED THE RACIAL TENSIONS THAT THE MEN TOOK INTO THE COMBAT ZONE. THE EFFECT OF MILITARY LIFE ON THESE TENSIONS IS DISCUSSED. TABLES PRESENT STUDY DATA. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. (GLR)