This paper explores if, and to what extent, crime affects happiness, using data from the Swiss Crime Survey 2011. Given the lack of research on the relationship between victimization and quality of life, it attempts to close an important gap in the existing literature. Results show negative effects on life satisfaction of theft, attempted burglary and consumer fraud, as well as of crimes against the person. Contrary to expectations, detrimental effects on quality of life do not decline consistently over time.
The long-term effects of bullying at elementary school have attracted increasing interest in recent years. The present study is based on a cross-sectional survey of over 21,000 young Swiss men. The sample covered about 70 percent of the cohort of Swiss males drafted into the Army in 1997, and born in or around 1977. The instrument covered many retrospective items, including experiencing bullying before age 12 and conduct problems including violent victimization and suicide attempts in the recent past. The results show that victims of bullying during childhood are still negatively affected in young adulthood. A causal role of bullying experiences in these long-term outcomes is plausible, although alternative explanations cannot be ruled out.
Purpose -Actual debates around the Swiss police see a decrease in respect and an increase in attacks towards police officers. Such non-respect can be seen as a lack of feelings of obligation to obey to the police. Instead of asking whether such a proclaimed increase in disrespect is indeed happening in Switzerland, this chapter analyses aspects of legitimacy. It builds on the question whether the population sees the Swiss police as a legitimate force.Methodology/Approach -Swiss police's legitimacy will be elaborated in two parts. After giving an overview about current debates, known theoretical aspects of legitimacy will be outlined. These aspects build the ground for empirical analyses that follow. Results are based on data of the European Social Survey ESS5.Findings -The Swiss population sees the police as a legitimate force. The majority are morally align with the police, they feel an obligation to obey to their directives, and they ascribe legality to their actions. Furthermore, also procedural fairness is highly ascribed to the Swiss police. Finally, age correlates only with certain aspects of legitimacy. While moral alignment increases with age, as well as positive views about police's procedural fairness, no effects were found for feelings of obligation to obey. However, elderly people more often see a political influence on police's decisions and actions.Originality/Value -While in Anglo-Saxon countries research on legitimacy of the police is broad, no analyses are known for Switzerland so far. Moreover, topics around the Swiss police are often emotionally debated in media, whit a lack of empirical evidence. This chapter contributes to close this gap. It gives an insight on the population's perception of the Swiss police and offers an important scientific foundation for actual debates.
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