OFFENSE INTENSITY AND OFFENSE WRONGFULNESS HIERARCHIES

• NCJ Number: 40280
• Author(s): B NEEDLEMAN
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 23 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: State University of New York Research Foundation
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PREPARED FOR PRESENTATION AT THE 70TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, AUGUST 25-29, 1975

Annotation

EXAMINATION OF THE DEGREE OF OVERLAP BETWEEN RESPONDENTS' PERCEIVED HIERARCHY OF OFFENSE WRONGFULNESS AND OFFENSE SERIOUSNESS AND A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF OFFENSE INVOLVEMENT ON PERCEIVED WRONGFULNESS AND SERIOUSNESS.

Abstract

IT WAS FOUND THAT OFFENSE WRONGFULNESS AND OFFENSE SERIOUSNESS ARE HIGHLY CORRELATED, INDICATING EITHER THAT BOTH ARE MEASURING THE SAME FACTOR OR THAT BOTH ARE STRONGLY RELATED TO SOME COMMON FACTOR. FURTHER, DIFFERENTIAL INVOLVEMENT IN CRIMINAL OFFENSES HAD NO INFLUENCE ON THE ORDERING OF OFFENSES BY EITHER WRONGFULNESS OR SERIOUSNESS. HOWEVER, THOSE COMMITTING AN OFFENSE SAW THAT OFFENSE AS LESS WRONG THAN THOSE WHO DID NOT COMMIT THAT OFFENSE. WITH RESPECT TO SERIOUSNESS, EARLIER RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND NO SUCH DIFFERENCE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...PLO