NCJ Number
54128
Journal
Deviance et societe Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 325-347
Date Published
1978
Length
23 pages
Annotation
THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL CLASS ON POLICE REACTION, PROSECUTORIAL DIVERSION, AND SENTENCING IN THE NETHERLANDS IS ANALYZED IN THIS EMPIRICAL STUDY.
Abstract
THIS THREE-STEP RESEARCH PROJECT IN THE CITY OF GRONINGEN ATTEMPTS TO SUPPLEMENT PREVIOUS STUDIES WHICH ARE CONTRADICTORY AND INCONCLUSIVE. IN ORDER TO EXPLORE POLICE REACTION TO THE FACTOR OF SOCIAL CLASS, RESEARCHERS ANALYZED 107 POLICE CONTACTS ACCORDING TO WHETHER AN OFFENDER WAS GIVEN (1) NO PENALTY, (2) AN INFORMAL WARNING, (3) A FINE, OR (4) A CITATION TO THE POLICE STATION. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT OFFENDERS PICKED UP IN LESS AFFLUENT SECTIONS OF THE CITY WERE TREATED MORE STRICTLY THAN THOSE IN PRESTIGE NEIGHBORHOODS. ALSO, PEOPLE OF HIGHER SOCIAL STATUS RECEIVED A MORE FAVORABLE TREATMENT THAN LOWER CLASS OFFENDERS. IN THE NETHERLANDS, IT IS FREQUENTLY LEFT UP TO THE PROSECUTOR TO DECIDE WHETHER TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST AN OFFENDER. TO TEST PROSECUTORS' SELECTION POLICIES, RESEARCHERS SURVEYED THE RECORDS OF YOUNG, MALE OFFENDERS WHO HAD BEEN ARRESTED FOR LARCENY IN 1968. AGAIN, IT WAS FOUND THAT A HIGHER SOCIAL STATUS FAVORABLY INFLUENCED THE DIVERSION POLICY. A THIRD SURVEY DETERMINED WHETHER THE JUDGES ARE INFLUENCED BY CLASS CONSIDERATIONS IN THE SELECTION OF PUNISHMENT. THIS TIME, PARTICULAR OFFENSES FOR 3,450 MALE OFFENDERS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 25 WERE ANALYZED ACCORDING TO WHETHER THEY RECEIVED A PRISON TERM, PROBATION, OR A FINE. AGAIN STATISTICS INDICATED THAT MEMBERS OF HIGHER CLASSES WERE GIVEN LESS SEVERE SENTENCES THAN LOWER CLASS OFFENDERS. IT WOULD BE MISTAKEN TO CONCLUDE THAT SOCIAL CLASS HAS AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON JUDICIAL PERSONNEL. RATHER, THE QUALITY OF LEGAL DEFENSE AN OFFENDER OBTAINS AND THE CRIMINALITY PREDICTION ARE SIGNIFICANTLY INFLUENCED BY CLASS CONSIDERATIONS. THE ARTICLE INCLUDES STATISTICAL CHARTS AND FOOTNOTES. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)