SANCTION THREATS AND VIOLATION BEHAVIOR - AN INQUIRY INTO PERCEPTUAL VARIATION (FROM QUANTITATIVE STUDIES IN CRIMINOLOGY, 1978, BY CHARLES WELLFORD - SEE NCJ-52553)

• NCJ Number: 52557
• Author(s): L COHEN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED TO 105 MALES TO MEASURE VARIATIONS IN INDIVIDUAL PERCEPTIONS OF THE THREAT OF SANCTIONS AND THE RELATION OF SANCTION PERCEPTIONS TO BEHAVIOR AND TO CONTEXTUAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES.

Abstract

VARIOUS FORMS OF COMMUNICATION ARE USED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF POTENTIAL PENALTIES FOR AN OFFENSE. UNCLEAR COMMUNICATION OR AN INDIVIDUAL'S AGE, INCOME, AND PEER ASSOCIATION CAN LEAD TO AN INDIVIDUAL'S DISTORTED INTERPRETATION OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF SANCTIONS. THIS STUDY FOCUSES ON CONCEPTS AND BEHAVIOR OF MOTORISTS REGARDING THEIR OBSERVANCE OF SPEED LIMITS IN RELATION TO THE PROBABILITY OF RECEIVING A SPEEDING CITATION AND THE DEGREE OF RESULTING PUNISHMENT. THE QUESTIONNAIRE COLLECTED DATA ON THE SUBJECTS' AWARENESS OF SANCTION POLICIES, FEELING CONCERNING POTENTIAL APPREHENSION, AND PERCEPTION OF SEVERITIES OF PUNISHMENT FOR SPEEDING. FINDINGS INDICATED THAT PARTICIPANTS DIFFERED IN THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF SANCTION THREATS AND WERE IGNORANT OF ENFORCEMENT POLICY, ALTHOUGH RESPONSES ABOUT PUNISHMENT POLICIES WERE GENERALLY ACCURATE. THESE DIFFERENCES IN KNOWLEDGE CAN BE RELATED TO THE VARYING LEVELS OF AMBIGUITY IN THREAT MESSAGES PRODUCED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. VARIANCE IN PERCEPTIONS OF CERTAINTY AND SEVERITY OF APPREHENSION AND PUNISHMENT ARE PROBABLY DUE TO EXPERIENCE IN AVOIDING CITATIONS FOR SPEEDING AND TO THE CONSISTENT AND SYSTEMMATIC MANNER IN WHICH SPEEDING VIOLATIONS ARE DISPOSED OF IN COURT. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)