NCJ Number
45374
Journal
Human Organization Volume: 36 Issue: 3 Dated: (FALL 1977) Pages: 252-257
Date Published
1977
Length
6 pages
Annotation
CRIME STATISTICS REGARDING INDIANS ARE SUMMARIZED RELATIVE TO THOSE FOR BLACKS AND WHITES, AND TRIBAL VARIATIONS IN RULE-BREAKING AMONG INDIAN STUDENTS IN SOUTHWESTERN BOARDING SCHOOLS ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
ANALYSES OF CRIME STATISTICS FROM THE 1960'S FOUND THE INDIAN ARREST RATE TO BE FAR HIGHER THAN ARREST RATES FOR BLACK, WHITE, OR ASIAN AMERICANS, PARTICUALRLY IN THE AREA OF ALCOHOL-RELATED OFFENSES. THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INDIANS AND WHITES WAS FOUND IN URBAN TO NON-INDIAN VARIATIONS REFLECT REAL BEHAVIORAL TO NON-INDIAN VARIATIONS REFELECT REAL BEHAVIORAL DIFFERENCES, AND THE MAJOR ONES INVOLVE DRINKING AND DRUG USE. DATA ARE PRESENTED INDICATING SIGNIFICANT TRIBAL VARIATIONS IN RULE VIOLATIONS AMONG BOARDING SCHOOL YOUTHS WHICH PARALLEL TRIBAL VARIATIONS IN DRINKING ARRESTS NOTED FOR ADULTS IN PREVIOUS RESEARCH. IT IS UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE HIGH RATE OF INDIAN ALCOHOLISM REFLECTS THE DISADVANTAGED ECONOMIC POSITION OF INDIANS RELATIVE TO ALL OTHER GROUPS IN THE UNITED STATES OR ARISES FROM CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDES TOWARDS DRINKING OR DEVIANCE IN GENERAL. CONCERNING TRIBAL VARIATIONS AMONG BOARDING SCHOOL YOUTHS, IT WAS FOUND THAT TRIBAL BACKGROUND WAS MORE CONSISTENTLY RELATED TO RULE VIOLATIONS OF ALL SORTS THAN ANY OTHER BACKGROUND VARIABLE EXAMINED. HOWEVER, TRIBAL DIFFERENCES DID NOT PERSIST ACROSS ALL OFFENSE CATEGORIES. IN THIS LIMITED STUDY, IT CAN ONLY BE RELATED THAT THE CULTURAL DEVIANCE INTERPRETATION OF THE INDIAN ARREST RATE IS AS SUBJECT TO QUESTION AS ALTERNATIVE INTERPRETATIONS; HOWEVER, IT PERSISTS AS A SERIOUS ALTERNATIVE TO PERSPECTIVES WHICH FOCUS ONLY ON DISORGANIZATION AND FAILURES OF SOCIALIZATION IN THE EXPLANATION OF INDIAN CRIME AND DELINQUENCY.