CRIMINAL LAW AND THE COLLECTIVE CONSCIENCE MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING OF COLLECTIVE CULTURAL PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME

• NCJ Number: 45408
• Author(s): M J MISTRETTA
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 216 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

DATA GATHERED AT FOUR POINTS IN TIME FROM A NONRANDOM SAMPLE OF 125 SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS ARE EXAMINED IN A A STUDY OF THE NATURE OF AND CHANGES IN COLLECTIVE SENTIMENT WITH REGARD TO CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.

Abstract

AT THE MACRO LEVEL, THE ANALYSIS ENCOMPASSES THE VARIABLES OF AGE, SEX, AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. AT THE MICRO LEVEL, VARIABLES INCLUDE RACE, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, SEX, AGE, AND OWNERSHIP OF STOCK. THE ANALYSIS REVEALS A STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COLLECTIVE SENTIMENT WITH REGARD TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF SPECIFIC FEDERAL CRIMES AND THE ACTUAL PRESCRIPTIONS OF FEDERAL STATUTES CONCERNING THESE CRIMES. ALTHOUGH TOTAL SAMPLE RESULTS SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF A CONSENSUS OF FEELINGS TOWARD CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN SOCIETY, DISAGGREGATION INTO GROUP-LEVEL AND INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL ANALYSES INDICATES THAT CERTAIN VARIABLES DIFFERENTIATE PERSONS WITH PUNITIVE TENDENCIES FROM THOSE WITH LENIENT TENDENCIES. FOR EXAMPLE, THE HIGHER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS GROUP WAS MORE LENIENT THAN THE LOWER ONE. WOMEN TENDED TO BE MORE PUNITIVE THAN MEN. RESPONDENTS FROM LARGER CITIES WERE LESS PUNITIVE THAN THOSE FROM SMALLER CITIES. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE AND OTHER FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. SUPPORTING DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)