NCJ Number
46374
Journal
Sociology and Social Research Volume: 59 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY 1975) Pages: 318-329
Date Published
1975
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THE CONCEPT OF CONSENSUS OF SERIOUSNESS OF CRIMES WITH AND WITHOUT VICTIMS IS EXAMINED BOTH THEORETICALLY AND EMPIRICALLY IN A DISCUSSION OF LABELING AND OVERCRIMINALIZATION.
Abstract
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MEASUREMENT OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY HAVE FOCUSED ON ASSESSING THE PERCEIVED SERIOUSNESS OF OFFENSES. SELLIN AND WOLFGANG (1964) USED AVERAGE RESPONSES PROVIDED BY POLICE, STUDENTS, AND JUDGES ABOUT THE PERCEIVED SERIOUSNESS OF A VARIETY OF OFFENSES TO DEVELOP A SET OF WEIGHTS WHICH COULD BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH CRIME REPORTS TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATIVE MEASURES OF THE AMOUNT OF SERIOUS CRIME OCCURRING IN SPECIFIED AREAS DURING ANY GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME. USING ATTITUDE SCALING PROCEDURES THEY DETERMINED THAT ALL THREE GROUPS WERE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT AND PROCEEDED TO BASE WEIGHTS ON STUDENT RESPONSES. A NUMBER OF OTHER STUDIES HAVE USED SIMILAR STRATEGIES FOR DETERMINING CONSENSUS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT AVERAGED GROUP RESPONSE COMPARISONS AND EVEN MORE FORMAL CORRELATIONAL TECHNIQUES MAY NOT PROVIDE A TRUE PICTURE OF PERCEIVED SERIOUSNESS. THE ISSUE OF CONSENSUS MIGHT BETTER BE APPROACHED BY FOCUSING ON VARIATIONS WITHIN GROUPS REGARDING PERCEPTIONS OF SPECIFIC EVENTS OR OFFENSES: THAT IS, ASSESSING THE DEGREE OF DISPERSION OF INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS AROUND THE MEASURE OF CENTRAL TENDENCY. USING THIS APPROACH, PERCEIVED SERIOUSNESS OF A VARIETY OF OFFENSES WITH AND WITHOUT VICTIMS WAS EVALUATED FOR 535 HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. A TABLE OF INTERQUARTILE RANGES FOR 14 OFFENSES COMPUTED FOR EACH GROUP SURVEYED IS PRESENTED, TOGETHER WITH A SCATTER DIAGRAM WHICH INDICATES DISPERSION. A NUMBER OF SUBSTANTIVE CONCLUSIONS ARE SUGGESTED BY THE FINDINGS: (1) THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL LACK OF AGREEMENT ABOUT DRUG USE OF ALL KINDS; (2) THIS LACK OF CONSENSUS PROVIDES EMPIRICAL SUPPORT FOR DISTINGUISHING VICTIMIZING OFFENSES FROM VICTIMLESS OR CONSENSUAL OFFENSES; AND (3) THERE MAY BE SIGNIFICANT AGE-GROUP VARIATION IN THE ASSESSMENT OF SERIOUSNESS. ADDITIONAL STUDIES ON THE MEASUREMENT OF SERIOUSNESS AND CONSENSUS MIGHT HAVE PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL VALUE. SUCH STUDIES COULD PROVIDE A BETTER INDICATION OF CRIMES JUDGED MOST DANGEROUS, COULD IDENTIFY CONDUCT FOR WHICH THE LACK OF CONSENSUS OF SERIOUSNESS IS SO GREAT AS TO MAKE CRIMINALIZATION UNREASONABLE OR INAPPROPRIATE, AND COULD ALSO PROVIDE A NEW SENSE OF DIRECTION FOR THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE OF DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CONTROL. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT IMPROVED RESEARCH COULD PROVIDE A NEW AND USEFUL EMPHASIS FOR CRIMINOLOGY. REFERENCES AND NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (JAP)