NCJ Number
52933
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 326-347
Date Published
1978
Length
22 pages
Annotation
USING A LITERATURE STUDY, SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF DATA, AND AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION, FACTORS THAT CORRELATE WITH A DEMAND OF SEVERE PUNISHMENT OF OFFENDERS ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE LITERATURE STUDY OF RELEVANT RESEARCH IS BELIEVED TO ESTABLISH THAT PEOPLE WHO PERCEIVE THAT THEIR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND/OR MORAL IDENTITY ARE THREATENED BY PERCEIVED CHANGES AND WHO FEEL VULNERABLE TO CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION AS A RESULT OF INCREASING CRIME RATES ARE MOST LIKELY TO DEMAND SEVERE PUNITIVE MEASURES FOR OFFENDERS. THIS POSITION IS DEEMED A FORM OF INDIRECT AGGRESSION STIMULATED BY THE THREATS MENTIONED ABOVE. THE SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF DATA AND THE EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION EXAMINED OTHER ALTERNATIVE PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR THAT MIGHT ARISE AS A RESULT OF THE THREATS INDICATED--WITHDRAWAL (FLIGHT) OR VIOLENCE (DIRECT AGGRESSION). THE SECONDARY ANALYSIS INVOLVED USING DATA OBTAINED FROM A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION CENTRE IN THE NETHERLANDS IN 1975; WHERE RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED THEIR OPINIONS ABOUT HOW CRIME SHOULD BE DEALT WITH, THEIR VIEWS ON A NUMBER OF GENERAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS, THEIR FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION, AND DATA ON THE READING AND VOTING HABITS OF THE RESPONDENTS (DATA BELIEVED TO INDICATE WITHDRAWAL OR FLIGHT PATTERNS IN REACTION TO THREAT). THE CENTER'S DATA ARE INDICATED TO PROVIDE A DEGREE OF SUPPORT FOR THE ASSUMED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THREATENING SITUATIONS, PUNITIVENESS, AND WITHDRAWAL FROM SOCIAL AND POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT; THE HYPOTHESIS CONCERNING THE DISPLACEMENT OF DIRECT AGGRESSION WAS ALSO SUPPORTED TO AN EXTENT. IN THE AUTHORS' INVESTIGATION, 25 RESPONDENTS REGARDED AS LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR FEELINGS OF BEING THREATENED (SELF-EMPLOYED PEOPLE) AND 25 RESONDENTS DEEMED MOST LIKELY TO BE IN A SECURE STATUS AND STATE OF MIND (MEMBERS OF THE NONACADEMIC STAFF OF A UNIVERSITY) WERE SURVEYED. RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS DESIGNED TO REVEAL THEIR ATTITUDES AND FEELINGS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: THREATS IN THE AREAS OF SOCIAL POSITION THREATENED BY ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND OTHER GROUPS, CHANGING NORMS, NONOBSERVANCE OF NORMS, AND VICTIMIZATION, PUNITIVENESS, DIRECT AGRESSION, WITHDRAWAL, AND BLOCKED AGGRESSION. ECONOMIC THREATS WERE FOUND TO BE UNRELATED TO PUNITIVENESS, WHILE CHANGING NORMS AND NONOBSERVANCE OF NORMS AS A THREAT CORRELATED MOST STRONGLY WITH PUNITIVENESS; FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION CORRELATED STRONGLY WITH DIRECT AGGRESSION. TABULAR DATA FROM THE STUDY ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)