PERCEIVED PENAL SANCTION AND SELF-REPORTED CRIMINALITY (FROM PERCEPTION IN CRIMINOLOGY, 1975 BY RICHARD L HENSHEL AND ROBERT A SILVERMAN - SEE NCJ-32885)

• NCJ Number: 35427
• Author(s): G P WALDO; T G CHIRICOS
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 25 pages
• Corporate Author: Columbia University Press
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

INTERVIEWS WITH 321 UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ARE USED TO DETERMINE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ADMITTED MARIJUANA USE AND THEFT, AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE SEVERITY AND CERTAINTY OF PUNSIHMENT.

Abstract

THE DATA FOR MARIJUANA USE AND THEFT INDICATE THAT NO RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN PERCEPTIONS OF SEVERE PUNISHMENT AND ADMITTED CRIMINALITY. PERCEIVED CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO ADMITTED CRIMINALITY. HOWEVER, THE STRENGTH OF THIS RELATIONSHIP VARIES BY CRIME AND BY THE INDEX OF CERTAINTY EMPLOYED. FOR EACH OF THE CERTAINTY INDICES, MARIJUANA USE SEEMS MORE RELATED THAN ADMITTED THEFT ACTIVITY TO PERCEPTIONS OF THE CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT. THE STRONGEST SUPPORT IS FOUND IN THE PERCEPTION THAT ONE'S OWN CRIMINALITY IS LIKELY TO RESULT IN AN ARREST. THE NEXT GREATEST SUPPORT APPEARS TO COME FROM THE PERCEPTION THAT ONE'S OWN CRIMINALITY IS LIKELY TO EVENTUATE IN THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE PENALTY FOR A SPECIFIC CRIME. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)