NCJ Number
139314
Date Published
Unknown
Length
32 pages
Annotation
Using a sample of 1,103 incarcerated adult felons in Nebraska, this study examined relationships among perceived risk of arrest, arrest history, and frequency of committing crime.
Abstract
Nine different felonies were considered in the course of the study: burglary, business robbery, personal robbery, theft, auto theft, forgery, fraud, assault, and drug dealing. The specific focus was on the role of formal sanctions in determining perceptions of arrest risk. Data were obtained from two self-report studies of convicted male offenders in Nebraska. Study variables included criminal involvement, perceived risk, and formal sanctions. Findings indicated that, at least for certain crimes, risk perceptions were formed in a rational manner; the likelihood of arrest was judged on the basis of how many times the individual was able to commit the crime without being arrested. Previous research on the perceived certainty of punishment by individuals with experience in committing crime versus individuals with no prior experience is reviewed. Supplemental information on the study methodology is appended. 19 references, 4 notes, and 4 tables