In this article the hypothesis of individualisation will be empirically tested, accordingly the i... more In this article the hypothesis of individualisation will be empirically tested, accordingly the internal standard of violence of a society will increase with the dissolution of traditional bonds and values. This hypothesis contradicts the assumption of Durkheim, who postulated a decrease of violence with the spread of morals of equality and universalism, as main characteristics of individualisation. On the basis of correlation analysis between rates of homicide and different indicators of individualisation, power distance and risk tolerance as well as indicators for socio-economic inequality, the author concludes that it is not individualisation but collective orientations and social exclusion that lead to higher rates of violence. Especially these factors we are witnessing also in western European societies as a process of re-collectivisation and increasing social exclusion.
Im Gegensatz zur US-amerikanischen Tradition hat sich die Soziologie „Sozialer Probleme und sozia... more Im Gegensatz zur US-amerikanischen Tradition hat sich die Soziologie „Sozialer Probleme und sozialer Kontrolle“ in der Bundesrepublik erst in jungster Zeit als eigenstandiger Forschungsbereich etabliert und durch die Grundung einer Sektion wahrend des Bielefelder Soziologentages eine Organisations form gegeben. Es fehlt daher sowohl ein Uberblick uber empirische Forschungen auf diesem Gebiet wie eine laufende Dokumentation fur diesen Bereich. Abgesehen von der spaten Ausdifferenzierung innerhalb der scientific community der Soziologen mogen dafur weiterhin die Schwierigkeiten in der Eingrenzung dieses Gebietes ausschlaggebend gewesen sein — ebenso wie die Besetzung des Forschungsfeldes durch verschiedene konkurrierende Disziplinen wie Kriminologie und Psychologie.
This chapter draws on data from the European Social Survey, which was based on the original surve... more This chapter draws on data from the European Social Survey, which was based on the original survey and explored the economic morality and middle-class crime for twenty-five countries in Europe. Levels of victimization and offending differ widely across Europe and its regions. Importantly, we find that more affluent and equal countries with larger middle classes also have higher levels of offending and victimization, as well as overlap between both. Opportunities combined with greed might be the factors that shape the moral economies at the centre of European societies. Perceptions of unfairness and abuse of power by business are decisive determinants of allegiance to norms and rules, distrust in many institutions which operate in the marketplace and fear of being victimized in European countries. Regulation and oversight of business and empowerment of consumers therefore are identified as reasonable routes to reduce losses from widespread fraud and shady practices by citizens and co...
The fear of crime is a core topic of criminology. This chapter explores the characteristics of fe... more The fear of crime is a core topic of criminology. This chapter explores the characteristics of fear of crimes in the marketplace. It is the wealthier members of society who are worried about crime in the marketplace, unlike other crime fears (such as burglary), which are held by poorer people. The chapter then models fear of crime in the marketplace using structural equation modelling. It then analyses the fear of crime as a driver of attitudes and behaviour, thus modelling the consequences of fear rather than fear as an outcome. The findings suggest that people with higher levels of fear become more cynical about rules (legal cynicism) and intend offend again.
The seriousness of crime or ‘crime seriousness’ bears on at least four areas of criminal policy (... more The seriousness of crime or ‘crime seriousness’ bears on at least four areas of criminal policy (sentencing, criminalization, crime control and prevention) but is poorly defined. After providing a novel conceptualization of crime seriousness, this article explores the logic – or normative philosophical principles – behind the public’s assessment of crime seriousness and considers how the public’s logic aligns with legal principles and policy requirements. A general population survey administered in 2014 in Belgium and eliciting 1278 valid responses indicates that the public’s logic is more moralist than consequentialist and raises doubts about the validity of public perceptions of crime seriousness as an indicator of crime seriousness for policy-making.
In this article the hypothesis of individualisation will be empirically tested, accordingly the i... more In this article the hypothesis of individualisation will be empirically tested, accordingly the internal standard of violence of a society will increase with the dissolution of traditional bonds and values. This hypothesis contradicts the assumption of Durkheim, who postulated a decrease of violence with the spread of morals of equality and universalism, as main characteristics of individualisation. On the basis of correlation analysis between rates of homicide and different indicators of individualisation, power distance and risk tolerance as well as indicators for socio-economic inequality, the author concludes that it is not individualisation but collective orientations and social exclusion that lead to higher rates of violence. Especially these factors we are witnessing also in western European societies as a process of re-collectivisation and increasing social exclusion.
Im Gegensatz zur US-amerikanischen Tradition hat sich die Soziologie „Sozialer Probleme und sozia... more Im Gegensatz zur US-amerikanischen Tradition hat sich die Soziologie „Sozialer Probleme und sozialer Kontrolle“ in der Bundesrepublik erst in jungster Zeit als eigenstandiger Forschungsbereich etabliert und durch die Grundung einer Sektion wahrend des Bielefelder Soziologentages eine Organisations form gegeben. Es fehlt daher sowohl ein Uberblick uber empirische Forschungen auf diesem Gebiet wie eine laufende Dokumentation fur diesen Bereich. Abgesehen von der spaten Ausdifferenzierung innerhalb der scientific community der Soziologen mogen dafur weiterhin die Schwierigkeiten in der Eingrenzung dieses Gebietes ausschlaggebend gewesen sein — ebenso wie die Besetzung des Forschungsfeldes durch verschiedene konkurrierende Disziplinen wie Kriminologie und Psychologie.
This chapter draws on data from the European Social Survey, which was based on the original surve... more This chapter draws on data from the European Social Survey, which was based on the original survey and explored the economic morality and middle-class crime for twenty-five countries in Europe. Levels of victimization and offending differ widely across Europe and its regions. Importantly, we find that more affluent and equal countries with larger middle classes also have higher levels of offending and victimization, as well as overlap between both. Opportunities combined with greed might be the factors that shape the moral economies at the centre of European societies. Perceptions of unfairness and abuse of power by business are decisive determinants of allegiance to norms and rules, distrust in many institutions which operate in the marketplace and fear of being victimized in European countries. Regulation and oversight of business and empowerment of consumers therefore are identified as reasonable routes to reduce losses from widespread fraud and shady practices by citizens and co...
The fear of crime is a core topic of criminology. This chapter explores the characteristics of fe... more The fear of crime is a core topic of criminology. This chapter explores the characteristics of fear of crimes in the marketplace. It is the wealthier members of society who are worried about crime in the marketplace, unlike other crime fears (such as burglary), which are held by poorer people. The chapter then models fear of crime in the marketplace using structural equation modelling. It then analyses the fear of crime as a driver of attitudes and behaviour, thus modelling the consequences of fear rather than fear as an outcome. The findings suggest that people with higher levels of fear become more cynical about rules (legal cynicism) and intend offend again.
The seriousness of crime or ‘crime seriousness’ bears on at least four areas of criminal policy (... more The seriousness of crime or ‘crime seriousness’ bears on at least four areas of criminal policy (sentencing, criminalization, crime control and prevention) but is poorly defined. After providing a novel conceptualization of crime seriousness, this article explores the logic – or normative philosophical principles – behind the public’s assessment of crime seriousness and considers how the public’s logic aligns with legal principles and policy requirements. A general population survey administered in 2014 in Belgium and eliciting 1278 valid responses indicates that the public’s logic is more moralist than consequentialist and raises doubts about the validity of public perceptions of crime seriousness as an indicator of crime seriousness for policy-making.
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