NCJ Number
11443
Date Published
1972
Length
269 pages
Annotation
DISCUSSION USING MATERIAL FROM AN INTERDISCIPLINARY RANGE OF LITERATURE, INCLUDING LAW, PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, AND ANTHROPOLOGY.
Abstract
THE POINT IS OFTEN MADE THAT HOMOSEXUALITY BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS, PROSTITUTION, GAMBLING, OR SOME KINDS OF DRUG USE ARE NEITHER HARMFUL TO THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED NOR TO OTHERS. HE ATTRIBUTES THE CURRENT ATTENTION GIVEN TO CONSENSUAL ADULT HOMOSEXUALITY TO INCREASING FRANKNESS ABOUT OVERALL SEXUAL BEHAVIOR. A CROSS-CULTURAL DISCUSSION OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS INCLUDED. A DETAILED TREATMENT OF ABORTION PRESENTS COMMENTS ON THE LEGAL, MORAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES INVOLVED, CASE STUDIES, AND A SURVEY OF DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN ABORTION LAWS. THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE VOLUNTARY USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS IS THE THIRD ISSUE ANALYZED. THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF DRUGS AND THEIR IMPACT ON SOCIETY. HE CONTENDS THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF SOCIAL HARM FROM THE USE OF OPIATES LIES NOT SO MUCH IN THE DRUGS THEMSELVES, BUT RATHER IN THE EFFECTS OF THEIR USE. FOR EXAMPLE, DIETARY DEFICIENCIES RESULTING FROM DRUG USE CONTRIBUTES TO THE HIGH DEATH RATE AMONG DRUG USERS. THE SECTION ON PROSTITUTION INCLUDES ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST PROSTITUTION AND COMMENTS ON PRACTICES IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES AND IN SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. THE AUTHOR NOTES THAT THE ISSUE OF GAMBLING DIFFERS FROM THE OTHERS DISCUSSED SINCE IT IS LEGAL UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS SUCH AS STATE LOTTERIES AND LEGALIZED OFFTRACK BETTING. COMMENTS ARE ALSO PRESENTED ON THE ILLEGAL NUMBERS GAME. (SNI ABSTRACT)