NCJ Number
38285
Date Published
1975
Length
21 pages
Annotation
THREE GROUPS RATED THE SEVERITY OF 50 OFFENSES ON A 9 POINT SCALE - THE GENERAL POPULATION OF THE NETHERLANDS THOUGHT THAT MOST CRIMES WERE MORE SERIOUS THAN DID THE POLICE OR PUBLIC PROSECUTOR GROUPS.
Abstract
THE PUBLIC PROSECUTORS' RATINGS OF THE 50 OFFENCES AND THOSE OF THE POLICE EXHIBIT GREAT SIMILARITY. IN GENERAL, THE PUBLIC'S RATINGS CORRESPOND AS WELL, THOUGH THE PUBLIC'S EVALUATION OF CERTAIN SEXUAL OFFENCES, DRUG OFFENCES AND OFFENCES WHICH INVOLVE CONTRAVENTION OF WHAT COULD BE CALLED A SECONDARY NORM OF DECENCY DIFFERS CONSIDERABLY FROM THAT OF THE PUBLIC PROSECUTORS. THE PUBLIC CONSIDERS THESE THREE TYPES OF OFFENCES TO BE MUCH MORE SERIOUS THAN THE PUBLIC PROSECUTORS DO. THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE OF OFFENCES OF THE 'VIOLENCE ON PUBLIC ROADS' TYPE; THE PUBLIC ATTACHES LESS WEIGHT TO THIS TYPE OF OFFENCE THAN DO THE PUBLIC PROSECUTORS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)