Grass-Roots Activism and the Drunk Driving Issue: A Survey of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Chapters

• NCJ Number: 108249
• Journal: Law and Policy Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: (July 1987) Pages: 259-278
• Author(s): F J Weed
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: A revised version of a paper presented at the American Sociological Association meetings, August 1985.

Annotation

This 1984-85 telephone survey of chapters of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) examined whether chapter officers are similar in background, community participation, and victim status and whether perceptions of 'solutions' to the drunk driving problem reflect an intergroup-conflict or moral-crusade pattern of development.

Abstract

Local MADD chapter officers are primarily married, moderately educated women who are active in other community organizations and are often victims of or have had family members killed in auto crashes. Chapter officers come from the traditional social base of community grass-roots activism and believe they have the support of other community groups. MADD's agenda for local activism resembles a moral crusade in that public awareness and youth education have high priority in local chapters, with 'legal advocacy' and victim assistance activities receiving less emphasis. Chapter officers apparently adhere to a traditional moral belief in individual responsibility in their commitment to public awareness and stiffer penalties as 'solutions' to the drunk driving problem. 7 tables, 7 notes, and 27 references. (Author abstract modified)