DETERRENCE RESEARCH - PROBLEMS OF THEORY AND METHOD (FROM PREVENTING CRIME, 1978, BY JAMES A CRAMER - SEE NCJ-55274)

• NCJ Number: 55275
• Author(s): W W MINOR
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 25 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LAW AND SOCIETY ASSOCIATION, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, MAY 19, 1978

Annotation

A SURVEY OF SELF-REPORTED CRIMINALITY AND PERCEPTIONS OF SANCTIONS AMONG 274 ADULTS, UNDERTAKEN TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS OF THEORY AND METHODOLOGY IN DETERRENCE RESEARCH, IS DOCUMENTED.

Abstract

DETERRENCE THEORISTS AND RESEARCHERS HAVE YET TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS RELATED TO CONTINGENCY (IDENTIFYING THE CONDITIONS THAT FACILITATE OR INHIBIT DETERRENCE), CAUSAL ORDER (DISTINGUISHING CAUSE FROM EFFECT), AND THEORETICAL INTEGRATION (CONSIDERING CONFORMITY- AND DEVIANCE-INDUCING INFLUENCES OTHER THAN DETERRENCE). EACH OF THESE PROBLEMS IS ADDRESSED IN AN ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM INTERVIEWS WITH A RANDOM SAMPLE OF WHITE ADULTS IN TALLAHASSEE, FLA. THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED ABOUT THEIR BEHAVIOR AND PERCEPTIONS OF SANCTIONS VIS-A-VIS SPEEDING, DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED, MARIHUANA USE, SHOPLIFTING, AND TAX FRAUD. A CONSIDERATION OF CONTINGENCY REVEALS THAT PERCEIVED CERTAINTY OF SANCTION AND PERCEPTION OF INFORMAL SANCTIONS, BUT NOT PERCEPTIONS OF SEVERITY OR SWIFTNESS OF SANCTIONS, DETER CRIME. A CRUDE CHECK ON THE ASSUMPTION OF CAUSAL ORDER (I.E., THAT PERCEPTIONS INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR, RATHER THAN VICE VERSA) INDICATES THAT FEAR OF SANCTIONS DOES INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR, BUT THAT MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT SANCTIONS (PARTICULARLY AMONG NONDEVIANTS) IS A CONFOUNDING VARIABLE. THE SURVEY DATA ARE ALSO ANALYZED IN TWO THEORETICAL CONTEXTS: A DETERRENCE-BASED CAUSAL MODEL AND A MODIFIED CONTROL THEORY MODEL. THE RESULTANT MODEL, WHICH REPRESENTS AN ATTEMPT AT THEORETICAL INTEGRATION, SPECIFIES THREE MAJOR VARIABLES THAT INFLUENCE CRIME: ATTACHMENT TO CONVENTIONAL OTHERS, BELIEF IN THE PERSONAL LEGITIMACY OF THE LAW, AND FEAR OF SANCTIONS. THE STUDY FINDINGS IMPLY THAT NO SINGLE STUDY COULD POSSIBLY UNRAVEL THE COMPLEX CONTINGENCY RELATIONSHIPS IN DETERRENCE, AND THAT A NUMBER OF WELL DESIGNED, STRATEGIC STUDIES ARE NEEDED. THE FINDINGS ALSO IMPLY THAT THE PROBLEM OF CAUSAL ORDER POSES A REAL THREAT TO MOST DETERRENCE RESEARCH, AND THAT GREATER EMPHASIS MUST BE PLACED ON LONGITUDINAL AND NATURAL EXPERIMENTS DESIGNED TO EXPLORE CAUSAL ORDER. FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THEORETICAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DETERRENCE AND OTHER INFLUENCES IS ALSO NEEDED. DETERRENCE RESEARCHERS ARE ADVISED TO BE CAUTIOUS IN DERIVING POLICY IMPLICATIONS FROM THEIR DATA. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)