The Role of Social Distress, Political Affiliation, and Education in Measuring Punitive Attitudes

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the different factors that shape and facilitate punitive attitudes among Israeli public. Punitive attitudes were examined in respect to several demographic and environmental variables such as gender, level of religiosity, level of education, political affiliation, and victimization. In addition, social distress in respect to the political climate of the country was taken into consideration to examine the effect of “historical” events on results reliability. Using a random selection, a sample of 471 Israeli respondents was examined at two different time periods (Wave I: 2008–2009 and Wave II: 2011). Results of the current study indicate that demographic characteristics as well as social distress are related to the manifestation of punitive attitudes among Israelis, and thus the study demonstrates the different factors that affect public attitudes toward crime and punishment in the Israeli context. Results are discussed in regard to policy, and recommendations are made for future studies.

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

“…Finally, we focused on replicating measures often used in research in the United States, but there may be factors specific to the Israeli context that were not considered in this study and can explain support for various criminal justice policies. For example, Gideon and Sherman-Oren (2014) found that the social-political context influenced the level of punitiveness in Israel, such that punitive attitudes were higher during a time period of high-profile violent events and lower in a calmer political climate. The data were collected during a period of 6 weeks when the security threat in Israel was fairly low, but there were a series of attacks on the Gaza strip after the conclusion of the data collection.…”

To Punish or Not to Punish—That Is the Question

“…Numerous criminologists and social scientists have recognized the importance and the complexity of research on the punitive attitudes of the public in general and criminal justice professionals, in particular (Kelly, 2014; Unnever & Cullen, 2009). Gideon and Sherman-Oren (2014) found these attitudes to have an “illuminating and predictive effect on criminal justice policies” (p. 1). A systematic review of the research in this field revealed a number of key predictors of the punitive attitudes of public and criminal justice practitioners.…”

Public Perception of Men Who Have Committed Intrafamilial and Extrafamilial Sexual Offences Against Children

“…The behavioral component is thought to be expressed through ratings of social distance, which tend to be greater in women compared to men ( Deluca et al, 2018 ; Willis et al, 2013 ). Also, since punitiveness is regarded as “the level of support individuals demonstrates toward concepts and ideas that promote retribution, incapacitation, and deterrence practices” ( Gideon & Sherman-Oren, 2014 , p . 152), self-reported support for harsher sentences could be construed as an expression of the behavioral component.…”