NCJ Number
130035
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 31 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1991) Pages: 153-164
Date Published
1991
Length
12 pages
Annotation
A sample of 82 of the general driving public and a sample of 112 of traffic police officers rated the seriousness of 26 traffic offenses on an 11-point scale as part of a study of unlawful driving behavior.
Abstract
There was close agreement between police and the public in their relative rankings of serious offenses, but their absolute ratings presented a different picture. Police and the public showed marked agreement in assessing average seriousness of traffic crime. Driving when over the blood alcohol limit, driving while disqualified, and knowingly driving with defective brakes all scored a mean rating of at least 10 on the 11-point scale. The public rated the relatively minor offenses more seriously than the police. After allowing for age and gender differences between the two samples, membership in one or other group still notably influenced perceptions of seriousness. Further inquiry could be directed towards establishing how the public rate the seriousness of various traffic crimes relative to other types of crime and the extent to which they want sentences to be compatible with their views on relative seriousness. 4 tables and 14 references (Author abstract modified)