The Negro Drinker and Assaulter as a Criminal Type

Abstract

Sorely needed today is a criminological theory based on under standing the differing variables that will incline offenders toward one specific type of crime rather than other types. The feasibility of such a theory was demonstrated when a sample of 40 Negro offenders, with an arrest pattern composed largely of simul taneous "drunk and assault" charges, was compared with a sample of 360 Negro offenders who had one or more of a large number of other arrest patterns. Institutional and interview data avail able allowed these two groups to be compared according to 34 socio-psychological characteristics. In 24 of the 34 comparisons, the drunk-and-assault group differed significantly (P=<.01) from the larger sample. Its members were reared far more often in homes with a rigid, fundamentalist background, which was en forced relatively effectively-though in a somewhat erratic fashion —by strict, dominating fathers. Their primary group ties were close in childhood and remained close in adulthood. Their general social milieu was far less criminogenic than it was for the offenders in the larger sample. The authors hypothesize that parental efforts at character development were to some degree successful, so that this group could manifest hostility only after alcohol had weakened inhibitions, at which time a rather ex plosive outburst of violence generally occurred. Socio-psycho logical, rather than strictly sociological, factors are the significant variables which dispose this drunk-and-assault group to violating the law.