Richard A. Dodder

techniques of neutralization used by deer poachers in the western united states: a research note

The purpose of this study was to examine and describe the specific techniques of neutralization that were used by deer poachers. The study consisted of two parts. In the first section, a survey instrument containing statements dealing with specific neutralizations was developed by the authors and mailed to individuals who had been cited for illegal deer possession in Colorado from 1990to 1996 (n=42).In the second part of the study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 20poachers and 5 game wardens to obtain information about neutralization techniques in greater detail. The use of neutralization techniques was common, and four techniques occurred most frequently: the denial of responsibility, the metaphor of the ledger, the defense of necessity,and the condemnation of the condemners.

Types of neutralization and types of delinquency.

Neutralization theory was tested with questionnaires administered to a random sample of public school students (N=298) and institutionalized male delinquents (N=53). Nye-Short delinquency items were factor analyzed to yield three dimensions of delinquency (Predatory, Minor, and Aggressive), and each of the five techniques of neutralization was scored separately. Patterns of acceptance of neutralization techniques were similar among high school males, high school females, and institutionalized males. For example, all three subsamples scored highest on Detail of a Victim and lowest on Appeal to Higher Loyalties. Correlations between each technique of neutralization and each type of delinquency, however, were statistically significant and quite dissimilar. Within the three subsamples, however, there were no discernible patterns among these dissimilar correlations. In fact, few of the differences among these correlations were statistically significant. The analysis provides general support for neutralization theory, but indicates that the particular technique of neutralization as well as the particular type of delinquent act may be viable distinctions in delinquency research.

Perceived Adequacy of Resources: Development of a Scale

A scale to measure perceived adequacy of resources was constructed and ana lyzed with responses from 520 adults. A 28-item instrument assessed how re spondents felt about the adequacy of resources categorized as physical environ ment, health/physical energy, time, financial, interpersonal, knowledge/skills, and community resources. Internal consistency of the scale was high (Cronbachs alpha = 0.89), and items loaded as expected in the seven resource categories. A shortened version was also evaluated. The Perceived Adequacy of Resources scale appeared to offer a solution to the absence of a parsimonious and reliable scale for measuring resources.

Neutralization of drinking behavior

Neutralization theory was examined as it related to drinking behavior among a sample of 2,424 university students. Neutralization was conceptualized as part of a continuum of responses beginning with the moral principle “drinking is wrong,” through a situational exception to the moral principle, and then to neutralizations of drinking behavior through denying responsibility, denying injury, denying a victim, condemning condemners, and appealing to higher loyalties. Findings supported the application of neutralization theory to drinking behavior only for a small percentage of drinkers: 17.4% of the total sample and 9.4% of those who drink accept the moral principle but made exceptions to it. Possible explanations for variations in reports of problem drinking are discussed.

Participation in religious services by people with developmental disabilities.

In this qualitative study we look critically at the opportunity for participation in religious services for people with developmental disabilities from three perspectives: house managers (n = 4), church leaders (n = 6), and people with developmental disabilities residing in group homes (n = 25). Observations were also made at several church services attended by the group home residents. Results suggest that people with developmental disabilities want to go to church and enjoy religious worship. Their full inclusion in activities and developing friendships, however, appears to be quite limited due to the conflicting expectations of house managers and church leaders, the lack of transportation or support staff, and the stereotypical attitudes towards people with developmental disabilities.

An empirical test of Hirschi's control theory of delinquency

Hirschis control theory of delinquency (1969) contends that lack of attachment to peers, parents, and school leads to a lack of conventional attitudes, which ultimately leads to juvenile delinquency. In order to test this theory, data were collected from questionnaires administered to 724 students in four high schools and three juvenile correctional institutions in the Southwest. Findings from this study indicate that when subjected to path analysis, Hirschis contention is only supported when delinquent companions is included; that is to say the extent of explained variation in delinquency is greatly enhanced when delinquent companions is introduced as an additional antecedent variable in Hirschis causal scheme. In addition, the findings are more consistent with a social learning or differential association theory than the original theory proposed by Hirschi in Causes of Delinquency (1969).

Raising the Legal Minimum Drinking Age: Short-Term Effects with College Student Samples

Student drinking patterns were examined before and after legislative action raising the minimum drinking age for 3.2 beer. Sampling was done at Oklahoma State University with three samples of 185, 276 and 245. The total quantity-frequency of drinking and the problem drinking index remained essentially the same after the law change, although some differences in drinking patterns were noted. Few changes were observed among men, but women reduced drinking in the sample immediately following the legislation, although they increased drinking by the end of the sampling period (six months later). After the law change, students tended to drink less often in bars, but more often at home and in other less public places; and they reported drinking significantly less beer, but more wine and liquor. The possibility was discussed that culturally relevant behavior, such as alcohol consumption, may require efforts to produce changes which are broader in scope than just changing laws.

The Modified Purpose in Life Scale: A Cross-National Validity Study

Although the original 20-item Purpose in Life Test (PIL) has been subjected to various reliability and validity tests, its use has been limited largely to American culture. In this paper ten items were selected from the original scale, and both directionality and response categories were modified. This Ten-Item Modified Purpose in Life Test was then validated through item analyses by using two cross-national samples of elderly people. One sample consisted of 177 retirees from the school system in Payne County, Oklahoma, and the other consisted of 202 retired teachers in Taipei, Taiwan. It was concluded from this study that the Ten-Item Modified Purpose in Life Scale can be reduced to the Seven-Item Modified Purpose in Life Scale as an alternative measure for comparing the psychological well-being of the elderly cross-nationally.

Alcohol-related problems and collegiate drinking patterns.

Six kinds of collegiate problem drinking were examined utilizing a ceptualized relationship among the variables of student religious commitment, parental attitude toward drinking, neutralization of drinking behavior, drinking before college, anticipated ethos of college life, social orientation in college, and quantity-frequency of alcohol consumption. Self-administered questionnaires were collected from 534 college students and analyzed by path analysis, which explained up to 47% of the variation in certain kinds of problem drinking. The strongest single predictor of problem drinking was found to be quantity and frequency of consumption, but precollege drinking was also important.

An examination of types of delinquency through path analysis

Relationships between fathers occupation, delinquent peer association, tendency to neutralize, and self-reported delinquency are explored in a path model. Self-reported delinquency are categorized into Minor, Predatory, and Aggressive delinquency. The effect of this division is analyzed among Mexican Americans and Anglo college students (N=694). The structure of the resulting path models remained similar across these subsamples, although there was some variation in the strength of the relationships. The effect of fathers occupation was minimal. The strongest relationships were between neutralization and delinquency, controlling for delinquent peers and for fathers occupation, which decreased as the seriousness of the delinquency increased. Additionally, neutralization was more strongly related to delinquency among Anglos than among Mexican Americans, explaining 39% of the variation in delinquency among Anglos, but only 28% among Mexican Americans. Association with delinquent peers, however, was more strongly related to delinquency among Mexican Americans.