NCJ Number
65933
Date Published
1979
Length
133 pages
Annotation
PUBLIC ESTIMATES REGARDING THE RELATIVE INCIDENCE OF ADULT CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE DELINQUENT OFFENSES WERE DETERMINED BY INTERVIEWING RESPONDENTS IN FOUR ARIZONA CITIES DURING 1974 AND 1975.
Abstract
THE STUDY'S GENERAL MODEL ASSUMED THAT PERCEPTIONS ABOUT CRIME INCIDENCE ARE DETERMINED BY SOCIAL CONDEMNATION OF OFFENSES, OPINIONS ABOUT THE PROBABILITY AND SEVERITY OF LEGAL PUNISHMENTS, AND OFFICIAL INFORMATION TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE MEDIA. DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM MULTIPLE SAMPLE SURVEYS OF ADULT RESIDENTS IN FOUR ARIZONA CITIES, INCLUDING ONE MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA AND THREE RURAL TOWNS. OF 3,800 INTERVIEWS COMPLETED, 2,800 EMPLOYED THE JUVENILE STUDY FORM SINCE THE PRIMARY INTEREST WAS IN JUVENILE OFFENDERS. RESPONDENTS WERE PRESENTED WITH A TOTAL OF 25 OFFENSES (4 PER INDIVIDUAL) AND WERE ASKED TO ESTIMATE THE ACTUAL INCIDENCE OF OFFENSES, THE PROBABILITY AND SEVERITY OF LEGAL PUNISHMENTS RANGING FROM ARREST TO DEATH, AND THEIR CONDEMNATION OF OFFENSES. OFFICIAL DATA ON CRIME INCIDENCE WERE OBTAINED FROM JUVENILE COURTS AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS, AND THESE DATA WERE USED AS A PROXY FOR MEDIA COVERAGE OF CRIME. SIX INDEPENDENT TESTS PROVIDED TENTATIVE SUPPORT FOR THE MODEL. SOCIAL CONDEMNATION, OFFICIAL CRIME INCIDENCE, AND PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE PROBABILITY AND SEVERITY OF LEGAL PUNISHMENTS WERE HIGHLY CORRELATED. RESPONDENTS WERE QUITE ACCURATE IN ESTIMATING THE OFFICIAL INCIDENCE OF OFFENSES KNOWN TO THE POLICE, ALTHOUGH THEY TENDED TO OVERESTIMATE THE INCIDENCE OF LEAST FREQUENT OFFENSES AND UNDERESTIMATE THE INCIDENCE OF MOST FREQUENT OFFENSES. PREFERRED PUNISHMENTS WERE DETERMINED BY THE SOCIAL CONDEMNATION OF OFFENSES AND NOT BY PERCEPTIONS OF HOW FREQUENTLY OFFENSES OCCUR. SUGGESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ARE OFFERED FOR EVALUATING PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME INCIDENCE. SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA AND A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN DATA ON DISTRIBUTION TO RESPONSES TO SURVEY QUESTIONS AND SCATTERPLOTS. (DEP)