NCJ Number
53628
Journal
Canadian Journal of Criminology Volume: 21 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1979) Pages: 22-38
Date Published
1979
Length
17 pages
Annotation
ATTITUDES TOWARD PUNISHMENT AND THE DEATH PENALTY HELD BY RESIDENTS OF CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES WERE ASSESSED IN RELATION TO PERSONALITY, VALUE AND BELIEF SYSTEMS, AND FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION.
Abstract
FOUR VARIABLES WERE SELECTED FOR STUDY: GEOGRAPHIC, AGE, SEX, AND RACE VARIABLES. LEVELS OF THE FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION AND SUPPORT FOR THE DEATH PENALTY WERE COMPARED IN THREE DIFFERENT WAYS: (1) BY COMPARING CANADIAN AND AMERICAN LEVELS; (2) BY COMPARING RURAL AND URBAN LEVELS; AND (3) BY COMPARING THE DIFFERENT CANADIAN PROVINCES. FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION WAS HIGHER IN THE UNITED STATES THAN IN CANADA, BUT SUPPORT FOR THE DEATH PENALTY WAS STRONGER IN CANADA. FEAR OF CRIME WAS AT ITS LOWEST LEVEL IN RURAL AREAS, AND SUPPORT FOR CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THESE AREAS WAS STRONG. FEAR OF CRIME WAS HIGHER IN URBAN AREAS, WHILE LESS SUPPORT WAS INDICATED FOR THE DEATH PENALTY. ONTARIO HAD THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE AFRAID OF CRIME AND THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF DEATH PENALTY SUPPORTERS IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER CANADIAN PROVINCES. LIBERAL ATTITUDES TOWARD THE DEATH PENALTY AND LIBERAL PENOLOGICAL VIEWS WERE MORE PREVALENT AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE THAN AMONG OLDER PEOPLE. THE COMPARISON BY SEX REVEALED THAT ATTITUDES TO THE DEATH PENALTY WERE INDEPENDENT OF THE FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION. MORE NONWHITE U.S. RESIDENTS PERCEIVED AN INCREASE IN CRIME THAN DID NONWHITES. ATTITUDES TOWARD PUNISHMENT AND THE DEATH PENALTY APPEAR TO BE ROOTED IN PERSONALITY, VALUE AND BELIEF SYSTEM AFFECTED BY NEWS ABOUT CRIME, AND FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION. SUPPORTING DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)