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Race and Gender Effects on Perception of Criminal Events: Testing Hypotheses From Black's The Behavior of Law

NCJ Number
150770
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 45 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1994) Pages: 62-70
Author(s)
L C Gould; M Gertz
Date Published
1994
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Using a sample from Florida State University, this research tested the hypothesis that social position relative to race and gender affected the perception of criminal events.
Abstract
Of 1,018 students originally sampled, data were obtained from a random cluster sample of 611 undergraduates attending Florida State University in 1985. The survey questionnaire was organized around 12 criminal events which were described in brief scenarios. The offender's sex and race were varied in each criminal event. Findings revealed small differences in the perceived seriousness of assault and burglary incidents. Assault between two women was perceived as more serious than assault between two men. Students indicated it was more serious for a man to seduce a woman who was too drunk to give informed consent to sex than it was for a woman to seduce a man under the same conditions. In general, varying the sex and race of offenders and victims did not affect student perceptions of the seriousness of criminal events. Although students perceived sex differences in how the criminal justice system operates, they did not use sex or race differences to judge crime seriousness. An appendix contains the wording used in the 12 criminal events. 20 references, 4 endnotes, and 4 tables