This research is an examination of four sociological theories that attempt to explain deviant behavior: Control Theory, Labeling Theory, Subculture Theory, and Addiction Theory. Specifically, I focus on their ability to account for drunk driving and DUI recidivism. By applying general theoretical arguments to specific characteristics of drunk drivers, I investigate the adequacy of the theories for explaining this particular deviant act. I scrutinize these theories using a sample of 289 DUI offenders drawn from files at the Leon County Clerk of Court probation office, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Traffic Court records division. My analysis is two-fold. First, I examine the recognized correlates of drunk driving and compare first-time offenders to recidivists for differences. Results from these tests show that repeat offenders include a greater proportion of men, they are first arrested at an earlier age, and that recidivists have poorer driving and criminal records. I found that young arrestees (17 to 25 years old) are no more dangerous, or aggressive than older arrestees. The descriptive analysis also shows that prior experience with the legal procedures involved in DUI arrests can lead some people to refuse to comply with the breath analysis tests for blood alcohol content. Secondly, I test the theories with regression models and correlations. My concluding discussion addresses each theory's strengths and weaknesses with regard to empirical testing with secondary data, and examines the implications that these results have for social policy. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: A, page: 2742. / Major Professor: James D. Orcutt. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76947 |
| Contributors | Mennella Hood, Michael Rene., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 114 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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