NCJ Number
15361
Date Published
1974
Length
25 pages
Annotation
DETERMINES THAT SANCTIONS ARE LEAST EFFECTIVE WITH CRIMES INVOLVING HIGH EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION OF THE ACTOR IN THE ACT ITSELF.
Abstract
ONE HUNDRED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS EVALUATED THE DEGREES OF EMOTIONAL INVOLVEMENT FOR ACTORS IN HOMICIDE, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, SEX OFFENSES, AUTO THEFT, ROBBERY, AND BURGLARY. THE SAME TASK WAS DONE BY A NUMBER OF FACULTY ASSOCIATES. THE EXPRESSIVENESS RANKINGS FROM THESE TWO SOURCES WERE COMPARED WITH CHARACTERIZATIONS IN ASSOCIATED LITERATURE. THE RANKINGS PROVED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH ONE ANOTHER IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER FROM HIGH TO LOWER EXPRESSIVENESS - HOMICIDE, ASSAULT, SEX OFFENSES, AUTO THEFT, ROBBERY, AND BURGLARY. DETERRENCE RANKS WERE DELINEATED IN TERMS OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN RATES FOR EACH OF THE OFFENSES AND THE PROBABILITY THAT SUCH OFFENSES WOULD RESULT IN CONFINEMENT. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE GREATER THE DEGREE OF EXPRESSIVENESS THE LOWER THE PROBABILITY OF DETERRING THE OFFENDER.