Which social context variables discriminate between alcohol-involved aggression and incidents not involving alcohol?

Paper
Instructions-CRIM 400
Choose one of the theories from the
following list:
1.
Deterrence Theory
2.
Social Disorganization Theory
3.
General Strain Theory
4.
Social Bond Theory
5.
General Theory of Crime (Low Self-Control
Theory)
6.
Labelling Theory
7.
Routine Activity Theory
8.
Situational Action Theory
9.
Social Learning Theory
Write a paper that is organized into the following
sections using APA style headings:
Theory Explanation: For
the criminological theory you selected, provide an explanation of how the
theory purports to explain crime.
This should include a discussion of the theory’s key independent
and dependent variables and propositions. (1-2 pages)
Annotated
Bibliography: Find at least five (5) empirical
research articles from peer-reviewed academic journals that deal with your
selected theory. For each article,
provide a summary that includes the following (5-7 pages):
APA
style reference
Study
Background
Research
questions addressed by this study
Key
Variables Measured (independent and dependent)
Study
Results and Conclusions
Conclusion:
Provide a synthesis of the articles you read. Assess the level of empirical support
for the theory you selected. You
should also discuss the policy implications of the research findings from
your articles. (2-3 pages)
Reference Page:
This page should be properly formatted in APA style.
Check
the syllabus for the due date. Submit a
Word file through the D2L drop box. Late
papers will be reduced by one letter grade for each day it is late.
Sections
one and three of your paper should be double-spaced. Use one (1) inch margins on all sides of the
paper throughout. Use 12 point, Times
New Roman font. The expected length of the paper is eight (8) to twelve (12) pages. This is a guideline, but your grade will
reflect the amount of effort you put into the paper and the level of detail and
depth you provide in your analysis (Three or four pages is not likely to be enough
to do a good job).
Make sure
your paper is written using coherent Standard English. Make sure you check your paper for grammar
errors, spelling and punctuation errors, etc.
All material that you cite needs to be appropriately documented using
both in-text citations and a reference page according to APA formatting
guidelines. Failure to follow any of the
requirements listed will result in points being deducted from your grade.
You must
properly cite ALL sources you use for your paper.
The paper
will be graded based on the following criteria:
Criterion
Max. Points Possible
Correct
Formatting
10
Grammar/Spelling
15
Completeness and depth
of analysis 50
Clarity and
Organization
10
Sources, In-text
references, and Reference Page (APA)
15
Total: 100

Sample Annotated Bibliography Entry

Wells,
S., & Graham, K. (2003). Aggression involving alcohol: Relationship to
drinking patterns and social context. Addiction, 98, 33-42.

Study Background: Alcohol use has been linked to
several aspects of violence, such as the severity of violence and the
likelihood of injuries resulting from violent incidents. Some researchers have suggested that the
amount of alcohol consumed by participants prior to a violent incident may be
of more importance than the mere presence or absence of alcohol use. Research has also found that heavier drinkers
are more likely to be involved in alcohol related violence. The context of social events has also been
found to be related to the likelihood of drinking leading to violence, although
the amount of research in this area is relatively small. This study was an effort to assess the
importance of the amount of alcohol used versus mere presence or absence. The authors also investigate whether heavy
drinkers are more likely to be involved in alcohol related violence compared to
light drinkers. Lastly, the authors
identify characteristics of violent events to determine which social contexts
carry the greatest risks for alcohol-involved violence.

Research Questions:
Are aggression severity and injury
associated with alcohol involvement/intoxication of participants?
Are heavier drinkers more likely to be
involved in any aggression, as compared to lighter drinkers, or are they only
more likely to be involved in alcohol related aggression?
Which social context variables
discriminate between alcohol-involved aggression and incidents not
involving alcohol?

Measures: Independent variables included whether
alcohol was involved and the perceived level of intoxication of the respondent
and the opponent. Other information
collected was the subject demographic data, incident time, day, and social
context. Respondents were also asked
about the level of severity of the violence (injuries, whether or not medical
attention was needed, whether or not the police were involved, and whether or
not threats were made).

The
dependent variable was a dichotomous indicator of whether or not a violent
incident involved alcohol.

Results: The authors presented three major
results that relate to the previously mentioned research questions:
Alcohol involvement was not
significantly related to any of the indicators, but significantly more
alcohol had been consumed in the six hours prior to a violent incident for
those who reported the occurrence of injuries or threats. Opponents who threatened the respondent
were perceived as being significantly more intoxicated than those who did
not.
Respondents who reported that their
most recent violent incident involved alcohol were significantly more
likely to drink more frequently and in greater quantities.
In analyzing the social context
variables, the authors reported that alcohol related incidents were more
likely to involve males, those of age 30 or less, three or more people,
and strangers. These violent
incidents involving alcohol were most likely to occur after midnight on
the weekends at bars or social events.

Conclusions: The authors concluded that violent
incidents involving alcohol are predicted most reliably based on the drinking
patterns of the actors and the contextual factors identified as most relevant
in the results section. The authors also
state that there is support for the idea that the intoxication level of
participants is more important than the mere presence or absence of
alcohol. In terms of policy, this leads
to the conclusion that there is a need to reduce excess drinking among the
groups most at risk for participation in violent events.

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