NCJ Number
183150
Date Published
2000
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the extent to which cultural values influence indices of crime; it reviews several prominent conceptions of culture, with attention to Ronald Inglehart's (1971) conception of a postmaterialist society.
Abstract
Studies based on cultural values and crime are far fewer than those that rely on objective structural variables; however, recent comparative research such as the World Values Survey and the International Crime Survey offer a unique opportunity to test the influence of cultural values on victimization rates. This paper discusses the theoretical framework that can situate criminological theory in the context of cultural values. Perhaps one of the most influential and extensively documented theories of value change in recent years can be found in the field of political science. Ronald Inglehart has proposed that under conditions of sustained economic security, values tend to shift from a materialistic concern for material well-being and physical security to a postmaterialistic emphasis on higher order needs such as empowerment, self-expression, and quality of life. This paper shows that Inglehart's theory of postmaterialism presents a number of intriguing implications for traditional criminology and further indicates the benefits of theoretical convergences. Path analysis and multivariate techniques uncover significant relationships between postmaterialism, criminogenic forces, and criminal victimization. The discussion concludes by suggesting notable implications of postmaterialism for criminal justice systems and crime prevention schemes. 3 figures and 26 references