The two criminological theories that conflict most sharply in terms of their fundamental assumptions about human nature and social order are control theory and cultural deviance theory. This research tests two major hypotheses derived from these theories. The first is that norms regulating the use of "force and fraud" are universal, and the second is that deviant behavior is caused by parents' failure to adequately socialize their children. The first hypothesis is tested through an analysis of the sanctioning practices of 100 cultures, drawn from the Human Relations Area Files. The results indicate that norms regulating the use of force and fraud are universal, and that the circumstances under which such acts are not sanctioned are quite limited. Apparent exceptions occur mainly when the consequences of the acts for social order are less severe or nonexistent. These findings indicate that certain norms are universal, and this fact can provide insight into human nature. If all societies prohibit some of the same acts, then these acts must present a threat in all societies, and members of all societies must perceive them as such. This indicates that people naturally tend to engage in criminal acts, since it is implausible that all societies would teach people to engage in behavior that they then punish. In order to identify the causes of the failure to learn cultural norms, micro-level data from the National Survey of Children are analyzed. According to Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990), delinquency is most likely to occur among children whose parents do not adequately care for them. The results show that parents with lower self-control are less attached to their children, they do not adequately supervise their children, and they are more likely to use punitive forms of punishment. In turn, their children are less attached to them, they are less likely to report feeling guilty after deviation, and they are more likely to engage in a wide range of deviant acts. In sum, the evidence shows that children's deviance is the result of inadequate child-rearing practices.

This study has a twofold purpose. The first is to determine the consequences related to labeling deviant behaviors, especially as these effects are reflected in the person who labels and defines deviant behavior. The second is to evaluate the medical model of abnormality in relation to the labeling of deviant behavior.

Individual attitudes toward law enforcement and perceptions of camper role skills, along with a knowledge of park and campground rules, were measured with a questionnaire and compared through Partial Correlation and Pearson Product-Moment Correlations . Demographic information was also gathered and compared with the attitude and rules knowledge data for significance. Results showed that attitude toward law enforcement and attitude toward camper role skills are significantly related. Attitude toward law enforcement and knowledge of rules also proved to have a significant relationship. However, attitude toward camper role skills had no statistical relationship to rules knowledge. The demographic data was found to be related only to attitude toward law enforcement and then only in two cases: age and education.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 198-224). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ99146

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Indiana University of Pennsylvania. / Includes bibliographical references.

Efforts to explain the causes of victimization have been limited to the pioneering work of von Hentig, a few post hoc explanations of research findings, and scattered references to victim provocation. Victimologists have not only demonstrated little concern with the causes of victimization, they have also failed to give sufficient attention to the offender in their discussions of victimization. Explanations of victimization are necessarily related to theories on the causes of deviant behavior and changes of the offender since the offender's behavior is the direct cause of victimization. A review of the literature on victimization, the etiology of deviant behavior, and the operation of the legal system reveals that six different hypotheses about the causes of victimization have been advanced. These hypotheses predict that the probability of victimization is determined by: (1) exposure to offenders; (2) social distance from offenders; (3) economic attractiveness; (4) high status; (5) legal risk; and (6) physical intimidation. The image of the deviant and/or the motivations to deviate implied by each hypothesis are explored. Predictions from the six hypotheses are tested on questionnaire data from a middle class suburban high school in the Southwest. As expected, the research findings are most consistent with the predictions of the exposure hypothesis. The more exposed a student is to offenders, the greater the probability that he or she has suffered a theft or property destruction victimization both at school and elsewhere. The causes of both provoked and true personal victimization at school are also investigated. Exposure to offenders affects the probability of both true and provoked threat victimizations at school. However, high status and/or social distance from offenders also seem to play a role in true threat victimizations. Similar processes may be important in explaining attack victimizations at school.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Murdoch University, 1985. / Bibliography.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 246-254) Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, May, 2008. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1982. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 234-238).