Arab Threat and Social Control: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Ethnic Attitudes and Punitiveness Among Israeli Jews

Abstract

Numerous studies in the United States, as well as a smaller number of studies in other Westernized countries, have linked racial and ethnic attitudes to support for more punitive forms of crime control. The current study explores this relationship in Israel by assessing whether the degree to which Israeli Jews typify crime as an Israeli Arab phenomenon and/or resent Israeli Arabs is related to support for punitive criminal justice policies. The findings suggest that ethnic typification and resentment are related to general punitive attitudes, whereas ethnic apathy and resentment are related to greater support for the death penalty. Also, the relationship between ethnic typification and punitiveness is stronger among those who are less resentful.

Racial animus and its association with punitive sentencing and crime types: Do Australian community attitudes reflect the United States’?

“…Instead of naming a specific minority, our questions referred to people with ‘different ethnic backgrounds'. This is consistent with findings that racial animus directed toward new immigrants (regardless of their skin colour) is associated with an increase in punitive attitudes (Brookman & Wiener, 2017b; Metcalfe & Cann, 2020; Pickett et al, 2015; Welch et al, 2011). To ensure the MRS applied to both the U.S. and Australian sample groups, references to specific countries were replaced with the phrase “in this country.” An example of a modified MRS item is “People of other different ethnic backgrounds should not push themselves where they are not wanted” (see Appendix A for scale items).…”

The influence of suspect ethnicity and evidence direction on alibi credibility assessment

“…For example, white respondents perceived African‐American and Hispanic individuals as more prone to violence than in‐group members (Pickett, 2016; Unnever & Cullen, 2012). Similarly, Israeli‐Arab individuals are more likely to be identified as criminals and have more serious crimes attributed to them by Israeli‐Jewish respondents (Fishman, Rattner, & Weimann, 1987; Metcalfe & Cann, 2020).…”

“…Recent research has shown that intergroup conflict resulting from historical tensions can increase motivation to protect social identity and in‐group reputation (Branscombe, Warner, Klar, & Fernández, 2015; Tarrant, Branscombe, Warner, & Weston, 2012). The Israeli‐Jewish and Israeli‐Arab ethnic groups can shed light on this phenomenon, as the long‐standing tension between them appears to influence law enforcement policy and sentencing decisions (Grossman, Gazal‐Ayal, Pimentel, & Weinstein, 2016), and contribute to threat, hostility, and negative stereotypes (Canetti, Elad‐Strenger, Lavi, Guy, & Bar‐Tal, 2017; Canetti‐Nisim, Ariely, & Halperin, 2008; Metcalfe & Cann, 2020; Rozmann & Walsh, 2018).…”

“…As Tajfel (1982) suggested, to maximize differentiation between in-group and out-group members, people depersonalize outgroup members by labeling them collectively in a negative manner, using negative cognitive schemes (see Hogg, 2001;Hogg & Abrams, 1988). Studies have clearly demonstrated that in-group members associate out-group members and minorities with crime stereotypes and negative behavior (Chiricos, Welch, & Gertz, 2004;Drakulich, 2012;Metcalfe & Cann, 2020). For example, white respondents perceived African-American and Hispanic individuals as more prone to violence than in-group members (Pickett, 2016;Unnever & Cullen, 2012).…”