Alcohol and crime in China.
This study examines the pattern of alcohol involvement across violent and property crimes in China. We describe and discuss the cultural and biological differences between Chinese and Westerners concerning alcohol and the features of Chinese culture concerning violence. Drawing upon the disinhibition perspective in alcohol and crime, a specific hypothesis derived from the sociocultural context of Chinese society is that alcohol is more likely to be involved with violent crime than with property crime. Using data from a survey of inmates in China, we assess this hypothesis and the possible variables that may moderate this hypothesis. The data support the hypothesis that disinhibition is applicable to the alcohol-violence relationship in Chinese culture. However, the predicted pattern of alcohol use in violent and property crimes does not vary across different offender groups, which is inconsistent with some United States research. A tentative explanation is provided for this inconsistency.
Zhang
L
L
Behavioral Science Department, Saint Francis College, Loretto, Pennsylvania 15940, USA.
Welte
J W
JW
Wieczorek
W F
WF
Messner
S F
SF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014754:Violence