PUBLIC'S PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME - A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SCANDINAVIA, WESTERN EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND THE UNITED STATES (FROM CONTEMPORARY CORRECTIONS - SOCIAL CONTROL AND CONFLICT, 1977 BY C R HUFF - SEE NCJ-44951)

• NCJ Number: 44955
• Author(s): J E SCOTT; F AL-THAKEB
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE AUTHORS CHALLENGE THE WIDELY HELD ASSUMPTION THAT PUNISHMENT IS A RATIONAL REFLECTION OF PUBLIC MORAL INDIGNATION.

Abstract

THEY ASSERT THAT, CROSS-CULTURALLY (AND PERHAPS INTRACULTURALLY, AS WELL), MORAL INDIGNATION HAS LITTLE OR NO RELATIONSHIP TO THE EXISTING PENALTY STRUCTURES EXAMINED. BASED ON THEIR FINDINGS THE AUTHORS CONTEND THAT CORRECTTIONAL CHANGE NEED NOT BE TIED TO PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME AND, IN FACT, THAT THE LEVEL OF MORAL INDIGNATION MAY BE A REFLECTION OF THE ACTUARIAL RISK OF VICTIMIZATION. WITH RESPECT TO THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CROSS-CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN MORAL INDIGNATION, THE FINDINGS WERE SOMEWHAT MIXED. WHILE THERE WAS GREAT SIMILARITY CROSS-CULTURALLY CONCERNING THE RANK ORDERING OF THE SEVEN INDEX CRIMES, THERE WERE SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCES IN MORAL INDIGNATION AS INDICATED BY 'APPROPRIATE' SANCTIONS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SPECIFIC OFFENSES. AN APPENDIX PRESENTS VIGNETTES LISTED ACCORDING TO TYPES OF BEHAVIOR OR CRIME. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).