NCJ Number
52934
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 348-364
Date Published
1978
Length
17 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY USING A SAMPLE OF RESPONDENTS IN ENGLAND TO RATE THE SERIOUSNESS OF SOME GIVEN OFFENSES BY THREE METHODS TO DETERMINE THE CONSISTENCY OF RATINGS AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SUBJECTS.
Abstract
SEVEN AREAS OF SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND WERE CHOSEN FOR THE STUDY, BECAUSE THEY INCLUDED PEOPLE FROM ALL SOCIAL CLASSES. A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 650 INDIVIDUALS WAS TAKEN FROM THESE AREAS, AND A GROUP OF 40 VOLUNTEER FIRST-YEAR SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS WAS ALSO GIVEN THE QUESTIONNAIRE. THE OFFENSES THE SUBJECTS WERE ASKED TO RATE FOR SEVERITY EXCLUDED VERY SERIOUS AND VERY TRIVIAL OFFENSES AND INCLUDED ACTS OF BREAKING AND ENTERING, SHOPLIFTING, FRAUD, INCOME TAX EVASION, AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR. SUBJECTS WERE ASKED TO RATE THE OFFENSES ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING THREE METHODS: (1) PAIRED COMPARISONS--WHERE SUBJECTS WERE GIVEN PAIRS OF OFFENSES IN RANDOM ORDER AND ASKED TO CHOOSE THE MORE SERIOUS OF THE TWO, (2) CATEGORY SCALE--WHERE THE SUBJECT IS ASKED TO SCORE EACH OFFENSE ON A SCALE FROM 1 (LEAST SERIOUS) TO 11 (MOST SERIOUS), AND (3) RATIO SCALE--WHERE THE SUBJECTS ARE ASKED TO SCORE EACH OFFENSE IN RELATION TO THE CONTROL OFFENSE, WHICH WAS SCORED 10. USING TWO CONSTRASTING TYPES OF OFFENDERS AS BACKGROUND, ONE OFFENDER DESCRIPTION WAS GIVEN TO EACH SUBJECT TO APPLY TO ALL OFFENSES. THIS WAS DONE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INTERACTION BETWEEN THE SOCIAL CLASS OF THE OFFENDER AND THAT OF THE RESPONDENT. AN OVERALL SUCCESS RATE OF 73 PERCENT WAS ACHIEVED FOR FULLY COMPLETE INTERVIEWS. SUBJECTS WERE DIVIDED INTO SIX GROUPS, COMPRISING MALES AND FEMALES IN THREE SOCIAL CLASS GROUPS. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND BETWEEN THE SCORES FOR SUBJECTS GIVEN THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF OFFENDERS AS REGARDS ANY OF THE OFFENSES; HOWEVER, THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SOCIAL CLASSES AND SEXES AS TO HOW THE RELATIVE SERIOUSNESS OF CERTAIN OFFENSES WAS RATED. NOTABLY, OFFENSES INVOLVING VIOLENCE WERE REGARDED AS MORE SERIOUS BY MALES AND PERSONS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADES, WHILE THE TWO OFFENSES INVOLVING INCOME TAX EVASION WERE VIEWED AS LESS SERIOUS BY THESE GROUPS. THE STUDY ALSO REVEALED THAT MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL POPULATION ARE ABLE TO ASSESS NUMERICALLY THE RELATIVE SERIOUSNESS OF A SET OF OFFENSES IN THREE DIFFERENT WAYS IN SO CONSISTENT A MANNER THAT IT MUST BE CONCLUDED THAT THIS IS A MEANINGFUL EXERCISE FOR THEM. GRAPHIC AND TABULAR DATA FROM THE STUDY ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)