VIOLENCE ON THE ROAD - A LOGICAL EXTENSION TO THE SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE THESIS?

• NCJ Number: 52305
• Author(s): K R PARSONS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 149 pages
• Corporate Author: New Zealand Dept of Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: New Zealand
• Note: RESEARCH SERIES NO 6

Annotation

BASED ON A STUDY OF SERIOUS TRAFFIC OFFENDERS IN NEW ZEALAND, THIS STUDY DEVELOPS A PROFILE OF THE SERIOUS OFFENDER AND DEVELOPS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE THESIS.

Abstract

THE SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF 1,509 SERIOUS MOTORING OFFENDERS CONVICTED IN COURTS THROUGHOUT NEW ZEALAND DURING THE PERIOD 1965 TO 1969 ARE ANALYZED, AND EACH OFFENDER'S PATTERN OF MOTORING AND NONMOTORING OFFENSES OVER A PERIOD OF UP TO 15 YEARS IS TRACED. COMPARISONS ARE MADE WITH SIMILAR STUDIES UNDERTAKEN IN THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND AUSTRALIA. THE OFFENDER'S DRIVING BEHAVIOR IS EXAMINED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF A PROPOSED EXTENSION TO WOLFGANG AND FERRACUTI'S (1967) SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE THESIS. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ROLE THAT SUBCULTURAL THEORY IS LIKELY TO PLAY IN ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF A FULLY SOCIAL THEORY OF DEVIANCE IS DISCUSSED, AND THE CURRENT STATUS OF BOTH SUBCULTURAL THEORY AND THE SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE THESIS IS REVIEWED. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT THE SERIOUS MOTORING OFFENDER IS MOST LIKELY TO BE YOUNG, MALE, OF NON-EUROPEAN ETHNIC ORIGIN, AND A SEMISKILLED OR UNSKILLED MANUAL WORKER WITH A CRIMINAL, NONMOTORING RECORD OF VIOLENT, ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. IN THE MAIN, HIS SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE INDICATED TO BE SIMILAR TO VIOLENT CRIMINAL OFFENDERS, AND THE RESEARCH IS SAID TO DEMONSTRATE A STRONG POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SERIOUS MOTORING OFFENSES AND VIOLENT, ANTISOCIAL OFFENSES. IT IS ARGUED THAT THE PERSON WHO HAS INTERNALIZED LOWER CLASS SUBCULTURAL NORMS, LIVES BY THE VALUES OF THE SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE, AND ACCEPTS VIOLENCE AS NORMAL BEHAVIOR WILL REVEAL THIS BEHAVIOR IN THE DRIVING SITUATION. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT, FOR SUCH PERSONS, TRAFFIC 'ACCIDENTS' ARE INTENDED PATTERNS OF SUBCULTURAL BEHAVIOR. IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE THESIS BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE VIOLENCE ON THE ROAD. THE DOCUMENT CONCLUDES WITH SOME IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS. DATA ARE INCLUDED. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN: THE TRANSPORT ACT OF 1962; DESCRIPTION OF PRINCIPAL CODING CATEGORIES; CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENSES; STATISTICAL ANALYSIS; AND CASE HISTORIES. (RCB)