Social distance of deviants and deviant offenders

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Social Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Previous research on criminal justice has primarily focused on offense severity.
• The perspective and social distance of individuals within the justice system towards offenders have been largely overlooked.
• Understanding these social dynamics is crucial for a comprehensive view of the justice process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the social distance felt by respondents towards various deviant offender roles.
• To identify preferences or aversions individuals hold regarding different types of offenders.
• To explore how social distance may influence differential treatment within the legal system.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a Bogardus-type social distance scale.
• Assessed responses from a sample of 524 individuals.
• Included 23 distinct deviant offender roles for evaluation.

Main Results:

• Respondents demonstrated clear preferences, indicating greater social distance from certain deviant offender types compared to others.
• Significant variations in social distance were observed across different offender roles.
• These findings suggest a non-uniform perception of deviance within the sample.

Conclusions:

• Individuals in judicial and legal roles (e.g., judges, defenders, juries) may perceive significant social distance from specific offender categories.
• This perceived social distance can potentially lead to differential actions and judgments towards offenders.
• The study highlights the importance of considering the social attitudes of legal actors in understanding criminal justice outcomes.