NCJ Number
85670
Journal
Bewaehrungschilfe Volume: 28 Issue: 1 Dated: (1981) Pages: 64-78
Date Published
1981
Length
15 pages
Annotation
A total of 114 West German probation/parole officers were surveyed regarding their social demographic features and their perceptions of crime seriousness and definition.
Abstract
Respondents turned out to be 20 percent female, 79 percent married, with 43 percent between 31 and 40 years of age; 31 percent were aged under 40 and 26 percent over 41. Response analysis revealed that they can de divided into an older and a younger group, with other characteristics falling broadly into respective 'traditional' or 'unconventional' categories. Those probation/parole officers over 40 had longer careers in social services, lower educational achievement, and they were mostly married, with religious affiliation and with expectations of continuing their current careers. Their younger colleagues were better educated, less experienced in the probation/parole service, anticipating career change, and with fewer marital or religious commitments. In their perceptions of crime, the traditional group was less willing to agree with current decriminalization trends of certain behaviors (e.g., abortion, homosexuality, etc.). It was the unconventional group, however, who approved criminalization of nuclear reactor installation. In general, the two groups' responses were in agreement only at the very extremes of crime seriousness perception (classic crime categories and morality violations), with great variation of opinion regarding offenses falling in the interim categories. Tabular data and footnotes are given.