Legalization of Crimes Against the Moral Order: Results from the 1995 United States Survey of Gaming and Gambling
ORCID
May: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8275-6773
MSU Affiliation
Social Science Research Center; College of Arts and Sciences; Department of Sociology
Creation Date
2026-06-01
Abstract
A survey of 1,514 American adults revealed a substantial range of support for legalization of selected substances, sexual activities, and gambling behavior perceived by some as potentially threatening to the moral order. Alcohol use, gambling, and smoking received majority support for legalization, whereas substantial minority support was found for gentlemen's clubs, prostitution, and marijuana use. There was little support for legalization of cocaine. Support for the legalization of the various “offenses against the moral order” was found generally to vary by five factors: (a) gender— males with higher rates than females, (b) race—Whites with higher rates than non‐Whites, (c) religion— Catholics with higher rates than Protestants, (d) age— young and middle‐aged adults with higher rates than the elderly, and (e) region—West, Northeast, and Midwest with higher rates than the South. © 1996 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Publication Date
5-18-2010
Publication Title
Deviant Behavior
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Group; Routledge
First Page
369
Last Page
389
Recommended Citation
Cosby, A. G., May, D. C., Frese, W., & Dunaway, R. G. (1996). Legalization of crimes against the moral order: Results from the 1995 United States survey of gaming and gambling. Deviant Behavior, 17(4), 369–389. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.1996.9968036
