NCJ Number
14939
Journal
Acta Criminologica Volume: 7 Dated: (JANUARY 1974) Pages: 107-132
Date Published
1974
Length
26 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A SURVEY ASKING A SAMPLE OF 111 CITIZENS OF MONTREAL, CANADA TO SELECT FROM 15 POSSIBILITIES AN APPROPRIATE SOCIAL REACTION FOR 44 CATEGORIES OF OFFENSE.
Abstract
THE SELECTION OF POSSIBLE REACTIONS INCLUDED FORMAL PUNISHMENT BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND INFORMAL REACTIONS BY THE VICTIM OR BY NON-CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES. ALSO DISTINGUISHED WERE PUNITIVE AS OPPOSED TO NON-PUNITIVE REACTIONS. STATISTICAL TABLES SHOW THE COMPARATIVE FREQUENCIES OF DIFFERENT REACTIONS, THE DEGREE OF CONSENSUS IN MATCHING REACTIONS TO OFFENSES, AND THE CONSISTENCY OF THE RESULTS WITH LEGAL AND JUDICIAL NORMS. MOST OF THE CHOICES OF REACTION WERE MATCHED WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF OFFENSES, INDICATING A LACK OF DISCRIMINATION. HOWEVER, THE CHOICES WERE ON THE WHOLE CONSISTENT AMONG THE GROUP. FOR CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS AND PROPERTY THERE WAS A GENERAL CONSISTENCY WITH LEGAL NORMS. TWO EXCEPTIONS WERE MURDER (57 PERCENT CALLED FOR THE DEATH PENALTY WHILE 93 PERCENT OF CANADIAN SENTENCES PRESCRIBED PRISON) AND AUTO THEFT (56 PERCENT CALLED FOR PRISON WHILE ONLY 25 PERCENT ARE SO SENTENCED IN PRACTICE). THE ARTICLE IS FOLLOWED BY ABSTRACTS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, GERMAN, AND RUSSIAN. --IN FRENCH