NCJ Number
79134
Editor(s)
T Santos
Date Published
1977
Length
256 pages
Annotation
Part of an international research project in comparative criminology, this study, conducted in Maracaibo, Venezuela, taps public opinion on a wide range of behaviors to ascertain whether public consensus exists regarding deviance and whether popular opinion coincides with legal norms criminalizing certain forms of deviance.
Abstract
Maracaibo was chosen as the study site because of its heterogeneous population (including indigenous native peasants, legal and illegal Colombian immigrants), high crime rate, viable economy based on local natural resources, urban growth, and social change. Pains were taken to reach a representative sample of the population. Data were collected through a questionnaire requiring respondents to rank certain behaviors as positive, indifferent, or negative and to indicate appropriate institutional sanctions for acts considered deviant. Among the more than 40 behaviors rated were such acts as adultery, honesty, public kissing, domino playing, homosexuality, group violence, theft and robbery, tax evasion, bribery, altruism, treason, abortion, prostitution, destruction of public property, drug consumption, influence peddling, and others. Results are presented in terms of the percentage of respondents ranking each behavior as punishable, as well as in terms of punishment severity. Responses are also analyzed regarding respondents' opinions on criminalizing and decriminalizing certain behaviors. The conclusion addresses the continuing problem of deviant behavior, repression and treatment, and appropriate social and institutional reaction. Numerous footnotes, tabular data and a 50-item bibliography are provided. Study instruments are appended.