Movies, delinquency and crime

Herbert Blumer, Philip M. Hauser


pagine 233

euro

1933

McMillan, New York


IT is a common practice to review the findings of a study in the preface. In this volume the summary and conclusions are presented in the final chapter.
The writers wish to acknowledge indebtedness to Dr. Paul L. Schroeder, State Criminologist and Director of the
Institute for Juvenile Research, Mr. John C. Weigel, Administrator of the Institute for Juvenile Research, and
Mr. Clifford R. Shaw, Head Research Sociologist of the Institute for Juvenile Research, Chicago, Illinois. Successful entree to the institutions in which many of our materials were secured was due, in no small measure, to their courtesy and cooperation. Appreciation is also due to Professor Edwin H. Sutherland of the University of Chicago, who on a number of occasions advised us in the construction of our schedule and guidance sheet forms. The cooperation of Mr. William B. Cox, Secretary of the National Society of Penal Information, in securing questionnaire responses from the directors of penitentiaries and reformatories was an especially valuable contribution to our work.
We wish also to acknowledge the assistance given in the collection of materials by Messrs. Maurice E. Moore and
Jerome H. Sampson of the Institute for Juvenile Research, Miss Haseltine Byrd, Miss Cerna J. Sampson, Mr. Marquis Alderman, and Mr. Fred Hackney. It is important to acknowledge our debt to the contributors whose materials have made possible this study. We wish to thank the heads of penal and correctional institutions who filled out and returned to us the lengthy schedule submitted to them; the grade-school children who answered questionnaires; the high-school boys and girls who patiently wrote their motion-picture autobiographies; and finally the inmates and ex-convicts who in a fine spirit of cooperation filled out questionnaires and wrote their life histories sometimes at considerable pains.
In compliance with editorial suggestions the names of motion pictures and actors have been omitted from many
of the autobiographical excerpts given in the text. These deletions do not affect the central purpose of showing the
relation of motion pictures to the problems dealt with in this volume.

Herbert Blumer

Philip M. Hauser

Chicago, January, 1933

 

Indice

I. PROBLEM AND PROCEDURE

II. DIRECT INFLUENCE ON DELINQUENCY AND CRIME
A. Minor Delinquency
B. Account of One Criminal
C. Further Instances of Motion-Picture Influence on Crime
D. Further Instances of Ideas of Crime
E. Significance of the Accounts

III. INDIRECT INFLUENCE ON DELINQUENCY AND CRIME
A. "Easy Money" and Luxury
Ideas of the Easy Attainment of Money
Questionnaire Responses on Desires and Ideas of"Easy Money"
"Easy Money" and Actual Crime *
B. Emotional Possession and Crime
Spirit of Bravado
Overt Expression of the Spirit of Bravado
Significance of the Spirit of Bravado
A Case Showing the Persistence of the Spirit of Bravado
C. Daydreaming and Crime
D. Display of Crime Techniques
List of Techniques of Crime
Possible Use of Such Techniques
E. Relation to Truancy
F. Summary

IV. MALE SEXUAL DELINQUENCY AND CRIME

V. FEMALE DELINQUENCY
A. Sexual Passion and Delinquency
B. "Fast Life"
C. Desire for Luxury $nd Smart Appearance D. Imitation and Sex Delinquency
E. Imitation and Non-Sexual Delinquency
F. Competing Attraction of Motion Pictures
G. Summary

VI. THE DETEERENT AND REFORMATIVE INFLUENCE OF MOTION PICTURES
A. The Impulse to Be Good
B. Criminal Careers as Unattractive and Dangerous
C. Fear of 111 Fate of Offenders and Punishment
D. Nullifying and Immunization Influences
1. Short life of deterrent effect
2. Yielding to temptation or pressure
3. Getting accustomed to the punishment shown
4. Punishment not made vivid
5. Discounting of the pictures
6. Feeling they can outwit the law
7. Feeling of sympathy for criminals
8. Feeling of resentment against punishment
E. Summary

VII. MOTION PICTURES AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS CRIME
A. Attitudes of High-School Students
B. Tolerant Attitudes towards Crime
1. Hard work does not seem to pay
2. Sympathy for the criminal
3. Justifying the criminal act
4. Portraying the criminal as an attractive and fascinating character
5. Portrayal of the criminal act as romantic, daring, and adventuresome
6. Picturing the criminal as a benevolent person
7. Picturing crime as a benevolent enterprise for the benefit of the poor
C. Condemnation of Crime
D. Attitudes of Criminals E. Attitudes of Prison Wardens
F. Summary

VIII. THE SOCIAX. MILIEU AND MOTION-PICTUEE INFLUENCE
A. Variety and Conflict in Themes Dealt with in Motion Pictures
B. Background of Experience
Sensitized to Crime in Motion Pictures
Immunization to Crime
C. Conclusion

IX, MOTION PICTURES IN CORRECTIONAL AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS
A. Selection of Pictures
B. Quality of Pictures
C. Recreational Value of Motion Pictures
Motion-Picture Preferences
Comparative Appeal of the Movies
D. Discipline Value of Motion Pictures
Putting Premium on Good Behavior
Positive Influence through Cheerful, Contented Attitude
Comparative Value of Pictures
Love Pictures and Discipline
E. Reformation Value of Motion Pictures
Feelings of Bitterness
F. Summary
X, SUMMARY
A. Remarks on Method
B. Summary of Findings
C. Concluding Remarks

APPENDIX
Questionnaire Forms and Guidance Sheets for Motion- Picture Life Histories Used in Study

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