PERCEPTIONS OF DEVIANCE CROSS-CULTURALLY (FROM CRIME AND DEVIANCE, P 42-67, 1980, BY GRAEME R NEWMAN - SEE NCJ-71075)

• NCJ Number: 69334
• Author(s): J E SCOTT; F AL-THAKEB
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 26 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES THE RESEARCH CONCERNING PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD AND REPORTS ON RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE AUTHORS IN WESTERN EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND THE UNITED STATES.

Abstract

CRIMINOLOGY OFTEN RELIES ON OFFICIAL STATISTICS CONCERNING CRIME, YET THE CONCEPTUAL INADEQUACY OF OFFICIAL STATISTICS IS BEING INCREASINGLY RECOGNIZED. A SOCIETY'S PERCEPTION OF CRIME IS OFTEN MORE RELEVANT THAN A SOCIETY'S ACTUAL CRIME RATES OR PATTERNS AS TO CONSEQUENCES AND POLICIES. CRIME STATISTICS ARE CRUCIALLY AFFECTED BY THE SUBJECTIVE ATTITUDES OF INDIVIDUALS AND HOW THEY DEFINE AND INTERPRET CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. THE OBJECT OF CROSS-CULTURAL STUDIES OF THE PERCEPTION OF CRIME IS TO DISCOVER THE EXTENT OF A CONSENSUS CONCERNING TRADITIONAL CRIME AND DEVIANCE ACROSS DIFFERENT NATIONAL SAMPLES. DATA FOR THIS STUDY WERE GATHERED ON A CRIMINOLOGY AND PENOLOGY STUDY TOUR OF SIX EUROPEAN COUNTRIES--FINLAND, SWEDEN, NORWAY, DENMARK, THE NETHERLANDS, AND GREAT BRITAIN, IN EACH OF THESE COUNTRIES, CRIMINOLOGY STUDENTS FROM OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY STUDIED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS. THEY LED A QUESTIONNAIRE THAT WAS DEVELOPED TO MEASURE PUBLIC ATTITUDES AND FEELINGS ABOUT THE PROPER PUNISHMENT FOR 22 CRIMINAL OFFENSES INCLUDING 7 MAJOR U.S. INDEX CRIMES, 8 WHITE-COLLAR OFFENSES, 3 PUBLIC ORDER VICTIMLESS VIOLATIONS, AND 4 DRUG-RELATED OFFENSES. DATA WERE ALSO GATHERED FROM COURTS, THE POLICE, CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL, AND OFFICIAL CRIMINAL STATISTICS IN EACH COUNTRY. THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS ALSO ADMINISTERED TO A SAMPLE OF 20 PERSONS IN KUWAIT. ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY DATA SHOWED THAT MUCH SIMILARITY EXISTED AMONG COUNTRIES AS TO THE RANK-ORDERED SERIOUSNESS OF VIOLENT OFFENSES, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE VARIATION IN THE RELATIVE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSES OR THE APPROPRIATE SANCTIONS. THERE WAS ALSO SIMILARITY IN THE RANKING OF ECONOMIC OFFENSES AND SEX CRIMES AND THEIR SANCTIONS. IN THE EXAMINATION OF DRUG AND ECONOMIC OFFENSES, LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN PERCEIVED SERIOUSNESS WAS APPARENT, ALTHOUGH ECONOMIC OFFENSES WERE CONSIDERED MORE SERIOUS THAN PROPERTY OFFENSES IN ALL THE COUNTRIES. THE RESEARCH WAS THEREFORE SUPPORTIVE OF CROSS-CULTURAL SIMILARITIES IN PRECEIVED SERIOUSNESS OF CRIMINAL ACTS AND NECESSARY SANCTIONS AGAINST THESE ACTS. REFERENCES ARE NOTED.