NCJ Number
67208
Journal
British Journal of Addiction Volume: 75 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1980) Pages: 73-80
Date Published
1980
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THROUGH AN EXAMINATION OF THE SOCIAL MEANING OF SOME 1975 GENERAL POPULATION SURVEY DATA ON INDIVIDUALS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS LEGAL CONTROL OF SOME BEHAVIORS, THIS PAPER QUESTIONS THE VALUE OF ATTITUDE SURVEYS.
Abstract
THE 1975 SURVEY OF A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF 1,807 BRITONS 16 YEARS AND OLDER QUESTIONED RESPONDENTS ON VARIOUS ISSUES REGARDING THE ROLE OF LAW IN RELATION TO VARIOUS 'MORAL' ISSUES. ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SAMPLE FAVORED LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS (12 PERCENT). LARGER PERCENTAGES FAVORED LEGAL STATUS FOR HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS, ABORTION, AND THE BUYING OF CONTRACEPTIVES. FEW RESPONDENTS, HOWEVER, TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES TO REPORT CANNABIS USERS TO THE POLICE, AND OPINIONS ABOUT PROPER COURT SENTENCES WERE HIGHLY VARIED. THE PAPER BRIEFLY CONTRASTS A SOCIAL INTERPRETATION OF SUCH MORAL SENTIMENTS (INVOLVING SOCIAL RELATIONS OF LABOR MARKET, FAMILY, AND LAW) WITH THE INDIVIDUALISTIC INTERPRETATION THAT THE ATTITUDE SURVEY METHODOLOGY ITSELF IMPOSES. IT CONCLUDES THAT THERE IS A NEED TO DEVELOP SOCIAL THEORY ABLE TO GENERATE PROBLEMSOLVING RESEARCH AND PRACTICE IN THE DEPENDENCY FIELD. TABULAR DATA FROM THE 1975 SURVEY AND THREE REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)