Citation

Grasmick HG, Bursik RJ, Arneklev BJ. Criminology 1993; 31(1): 41-67.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, American Society of Criminology)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In a recent paper we proposed a strategy for incorporating threats of shame and embarrassment, along with the threat of legal sanctions, into a rational choice perspective on illegal behavior. In this paper we use that approach in an attempt to account for a reduction in self-reported drunk driving observed in a community between identical surveys conducted in 1982 and 1990. The interval between the two surveys was a period of intense legislative activity and moral crusading at the national and local levels. Our analysis indicates that the reduction in self-reported drunk driving in the community is primarily attributable to an increase in the threat of shame for this offense.