TOWARD A CULTURAL INTERPRETATION OF FORCIBLE RAPE BY AMERICAN BLACKS

• NCJ Number: 29341
• Author(s): L A CURTIS
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 45 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT 8TH WORLD SOCIOLOGY CONGRESS, TORONTO, AUGUST, 1974

Annotation

THIS PAPER FOCUSES ON THE IDEA OF A CULTURE OF VIOLENCE ON POOR BLACK AMERICAN MALES IN THEIR TEENS AND TWENTIES, WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY ARRESTED FOR CRIMES SUCH AS HOMICIDE, ASSAULT, AND RAPE IN THE UNITED STATES.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR CONTENDS THAT, WITHIN A BROAD INTERPRETIVE FRAMEWORK OF ECONOMIC-RACIAL DETERMINISM AND POVERTY SUBCULTURAL ADAPTATION, A CENTRAL IMPULSE MECHANISM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIOLENT CONTRACULTURAL PATTERNS AMONG SOME POOR YOUNG BLACK MALES IS THE REDIRECTION AND EXAGGERATION OF CERTAIN EXPRESSIONS OF MANLINESS. HE FURTHER MAINTAINS THAT ROLE MODELING IS A CENTRAL TRANSMISSION MECHANISM WITHIN THE GHETTO-SLUM. THIS GENERAL MODEL IS APPLIED TO A SPECIFIC CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR SYSTEM, FORCIBLE RAPE. THE ANALYSIS EXAMINES HOW ACCEPTANCE OF CONTRACULTURAL PATTERNS CAN HELP FACILITATE RAPE IN SPECIFIED CONTEXTS. THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL VARIABLES ARE AMONG THOSE IMPORTANT IN UNDERSTANDING REPORTED RAPE BY BLACKS ON BLACKS: REINFORCEMENT FROM WHITE MALES, THE MALE'S VERBAL SKILL AND ABILITY TO ISOLATE A FEMALE, THE FEMALE'S ABILITY TO CONTROL THE SITUATION, AND THE SOCIAL DISTANCE BETWEEN SUBSEQUENT OFFENDER AND VICTIM. REPORTED RAPE BY BLACKS ON WHITES IS ASSESSED THROUGH BLACK POLITICALIZATION AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION PERSPECTIVES. CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS DEAL WITH CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON AND THE DIFFICULTY IN DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN 'PATHOLOGY' AND 'NORMALCY' IN CULTURAL CRIMINOLOGY. A SIX-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)