NCJ Number
53643
Journal
LAVORO NEUROPSICHIATRICO Volume: 54 Issue: 1-3 Dated: (JANUARY-JUNE 1974) Pages: 77-87
Date Published
1974
Length
11 pages
Annotation
AN ITALIAN ARTICLE CONCERNING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALCOHOL AND CRIMINALITY STATES THAT ALCOHOL NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED WITH AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH.
Abstract
THE STUDY WAS BASED ON INTERVIEWS WITH 176 PRISONERS IN CENTRAL SOUTHERN ITALY. THREE OBJECTIVES FOR THE STUDY WERE PROPOSED: (1) TO CONSIDER PRISON SOCIETY AS ONE WHERE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WERE FORCED TO LIVE IN ISOLATION, (2) TO MAKE EVIDENT HEREDITARY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRISONERS AS REGARDS ALCOHOL USE, MOTIVATION FOR AND FREQUENCY OF USE, (3) TO VERIFY PRISONERS' ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR AS LINKED TO THE USE OF ALCOHOL. THE METHOD USED WAS INFORMAL, NONSYSTEMATIC, NONINSISTENT INTERVIEWS WITH THE PRISONERS. THE RESULTING DATA FROM THE INTERVIEWS ARE PRESENTED IN 11 TABLES WITH SEPARATE COLUMNS FOR JUDICIARY PRISONERS AND PENAL ONES. OUT OF THE 176 PRISONERS, A CASUAL SAMPLE OF 34 (17 ABUSERS OF ALCOHOL AND 17 MODERATE ALCOHOL USERS) WAS TAKEN. THE AVERAGE AGE IN THE SMALLER SAMPLE WAS 37 AND AVERAGE TIME OF IMPRISONMENT FIVE YEARS. THESE PEOPLE WERE GIVEN THE MINN. MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY AND THE P-F STUDY TEST BY ROSENBERG IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THE PERSONALITY STRUCTURE OF THE PRISONERS AND THEIR REACTIONS TO PRISON FRUSTRATIONS. THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY NEGATE A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN ABUSE OF ALCOHOL AND CRIMINAL ACTS. IT IS NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT THE SAMPLE OF PRISONERS WAS MADE UP OF SUBJECTS THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED SOCIOPATHIC PERSONALITIES. ABUSE OF ALCOHOL ONLY ACCENTUATES THE TENDENCY TOWARDS CRIMINAL ACTS IN YOUNGER ALCOHOLICS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (--IN ITALIAN -- MJW)