NCJ Number
57324
Journal
International Journal of the Sociology of Law Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1979) Pages: 85-97
Date Published
1979
Length
13 pages
Annotation
KNOWLEDGE OF LAW, PERCEPTIONS OF THE SERIOUSNESS AND SOCIAL DANGEROUSNESS OF SPECIFIC DEVIANT ACTS, AND ATTITUDES REGARDING SOCIAL CONTROL OF DEVIANTS ARE COMPARED FOR THREE GROUPS OF YUGOSLAVIAN CITIZENS.
Abstract
THE ANALYSIS IS BASED ON DATA GATHERED IN SURVEYS OF A RANDOM SAMPLE OF RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF LJUBLJANA, PERSONS WITH INFLUENCE AT THE LOCAL (COMMUNE) LEVEL, AND STATE OFFICIALS. THE RESPONDENTS CONSIDERED 12 DIFFERENT DEVIANT ACTS, REPRESENTING 5 CLASSES OF DEVIANCE. THE RESPONDENTS' KNOWLEDGE OF LAWS CONCERNING SOME OF THE ACTS WAS LOW, PARTICULARLY FOR ACTS THAT ARE NOT CRIMINALIZED BY LAW, FOR CRIMINAL OFFENSES RARELY PROSECUTED IN THE COURTS, AND FOR RECENTLY CRIMINALIZED OFFENSES. THE RESPONDENTS FREQUENTLY EXPRESSED THE OPINION THAT AN ACT OUGHT TO BE FORBIDDEN BY LAW, BUT THE DEMAND FOR CRIMINALIZATION WAS NOT ALWAYS ASSOCIATED WITH APPROVAL OF REPRESSIVE MEANS OF SOCIAL CONTROL. RESPONDENTS RARELY SELECTED IMPRISONMENT AS AN APPROPRIATE SANCTION. THREE-QUARTERS OF THOSE WHO DID FAVOR IMPRISONMENT CHOSE PENALTIES WITHIN THE LEGALLY DEFINED SANCTIONS FOR THE ACTS IN QUESTION. THE STATE OFFICIALS WERE THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE LAW AND ABOUT DEVIANCE IN GENERAL. THEY ALSO TENDED TO BE MORE REPRESSIVE THAN THE OTHER GROUPS IN THEIR CHOICES OF SOCIAL CONTROLS. THE COMMUNE-LEVEL LEADERS' ATTITUDES WERE MORE LIKE THOSE OF THE CITIZENS THAN THOSE OF THE STATE OFFICIALS, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT LOCAL LEADERS DO NOT SHARE THE STATE OFFICIALS' SENSE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMITMENT. OF THE THREE GROUPS, THE CITIZEN SAMPLE WAS LEAST REPRESSIVE IN ITS CHOICES OF SOCIAL CONTROLS. CITIZENS WERE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT ACTS THAT AFFECT THE PRIVATE SPHERE (E.G., PETTY THEFT AND INCEST) THAN THEY WERE ABOUT ACTS THAT AFFECT SOCIETY AS A WHOLE (E.G., POLLUTION, TAX EVASION). SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)