Citation

Rosenquist CM. Am. J. Sociol. 1932; 38(1): 10-21.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1932, University of Chicago Press)

DOI

10.1086/215976

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

At the Texas state prison 3,240 convicts were studied in order to determine the extent to which the convict differs from the normal person in moral sense. Twelve crimes were selected, representing four groups: crimes against public policy, against property, against the sex mores, and against the person. Rating of these as to degree of heinousness by a class of students corresponded closely with the position taken by the law, the courts, and the public. The convict's account of his crime fell into one of three classes: admission of guilt, complete denial of crime, or admission and justification of crime. Each group of crimes had its own peculiar set of rationalizations. The results indicate a normal moral sense among the vast majority of convicts; their excuses are directed to appeal to people at large, either as completely exonerating or strongly mitigating their crimes.