Party School: Crime, Campus, and Community (Northeastern Series on Gender, Crime, and Law)

On the basis of extensive on-site research, Karen G. Weiss offers a case study of crime victimization at an American "party school" that reverberates beyond a single campus. She argues that today's party school-usually a large public university with a big sports program and an active Greek life-represents a unique environment that nurtures and rewards extreme drinking, which in turn increases the risks of victimization and normalizes bad behavior of students who are intoxicated. Weiss shows why so many students voluntarily place themselves at risk, why so few crimes are reported to police, and why victims often shrug off their injuries and other negative consequences as the acceptable cost of admission to a party. Book jacket Weiss Argues That Today's Party School--usually A Large Public University With A Big Sports Program And An Active Greek Life--represents A Unique Environment That Nurtures And Rewards Extreme Drinking, Which In Turn Increases The Risks Of Victimizaiton And Normalizes Bad Behavior Of Students Who Are Intoxicated. Weiss Shows Why So Many Students Voluntarily Place Themselves At Risk, Why So Few Crimes Are Reported To Police, And Why Victims Often Shrug Off Their Injuries And Other Negative Consequences As The Acceptable Cost Of Admission To A Party. Introduction: Welcome To The Party School -- Situating The Party School -- Contextualizing The Party Lifestyle -- Introducing Party University -- Playing Hard: Students' Drinking And Drug Routines -- Getting Wasted: Extreme Party Rituals And Risks -- Flirting With Danger: Criminal Consequences Of The Party Subculture -- Party Disturbances: Secondhand Harms To Campus And Community -- Rationales In Defense Of The Party Subculture -- Conclusion: Sobering Reflections Of The Party School. Karen G. Weiss. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 211-219) And Index. Examines the culture of the ""party school"" and the criminal behaviors that result from it