NCJ Number
94504
Journal
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 17 Dated: (1984) Pages: 108-117
Date Published
1984
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This New Zealand study indicates that the public will accept a reduction in the use of imprisonment for serious property offenders if there is a concomitant increase in requiring these offenders to restore their victim's losses (restitution).
Abstract
There were simultaneous surveys of two random samples of 1,200 persons, each drawn from the New Zealand electoral rolls. Both the control and experimental (restitution) groups were presented with descriptions of six serious property crimes, were asked to select imprisonment or some other sanction, and were requested to indicate one or more penalties from descriptive statements representing fine, probation, community service sentence, and nonresidential periodic detention. The restitution group was permitted to include restitution as a noncustodial penalty. For all six crime incidents, higher proportions of the control than restitution group recommended imprisonment. Differences between the restitution and control groups were found across most age groups, for both sexes, for New Zealand electors of European descent, and for electors who reported being victimized in the last year. Over 65 percent of the restitution group recommending noncustodial penalties selected restitution for each offender, although they were less likely to select restitution for the unemployed compared to the employed offender. The survey forms, tabular data, and 26 references are provided.