63 results on '"Julian, V."'
Search Results
2. SENTENCING RIOT-RELATED OFFENDING: Where Do the Public Stand?
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V. and Hough, Mike
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. SENTENCING FOR MURDER: Exploring Public Knowledge and Public Opinion in England and Wales
- Author
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Mitchell, Barry and Roberts, Julian V.
- Published
- 2012
4. PUNISHING PERSISTENCE: Explaining the Enduring Appeal of the Recidivist Sentencing Premium
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V.
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Sentencing and Society: The Strathclyde Conference
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V.
- Published
- 1999
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Public Opinion, Crime, and Criminal Justice
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V.
- Published
- 1992
7. News Media Influences on Public Views of Sentencing
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V. and Doob, Anthony N.
- Published
- 1990
8. Public Attitudes Towards Sentencing in Britain
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V. and Hough, Mike
- Published
- 1998
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. Restorative Sentencing: Exploring the Views of the Public
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Roberts, Julian V. and Stalans, Loretta J.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Rape reform in Canada: Public knowledge and opinion
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V., Grossman, Michelle G., and Gebotys, Robert J.
- Published
- 1996
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Public Opinion and Crime Prevention: A Review of International Trends
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V., Hastings, Ross, Farrington, David P., book editor, and Welsh, Brandon C., book editor
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. A measure of tolerance: public attitudes on sentencing enhancements for old and juvenile prior records
- Author
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Rhys Hester, Richard S. Frase, Kelly Lyn Mitchell, and Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
Punishment ,business.industry ,media_common.quotation_subject ,050901 criminology ,05 social sciences ,Measure (physics) ,General Medicine ,Public opinion ,0506 political science ,Political science ,050602 political science & public administration ,Juvenile ,0509 other social sciences ,business ,Social psychology ,media_common - Abstract
Sentencing policies routinely assign harsher sentences on repeat offenders, yet we know little about public attitudes toward recidivist sentencing premiums – beyond the predictable finding that people are more punitive when the offender is a recidivist. This article summarizes findings from a survey which explored public attitudes to prior record sentencing enhancements. The research addressed public reaction to two key inquiries (1) whether older priors should carry less weight at new sentencing hearings; and (2) whether juvenile priors should be counted at adult sentencing hearings. Many guidelines count all prior convictions forever, and juvenile priors are almost always included in the offender’s criminal history score. Are these practices consistent with community views? Results indicate that in contrast to current practice in the U.S. guidelines jurisdictions, the public significantly discounts older priors, and favor disregarding at least some juvenile priors. The policy consequences for sentencing commissions are discussed.
- Published
- 2017
13. Public Opinion Towards the Lay Magistracy and the Sentencing Council Guidelines: The Effects of Information on Attitudes
- Author
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Monica M. Gerber, Mike Hough, Julian V. Roberts, and Jonathan Jackson
- Subjects
Social Psychology ,business.industry ,Punitive damages ,Context (language use) ,Criminology ,Public opinion ,Focus group ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,Principal (commercial law) ,Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous) ,Sentencing guidelines ,Environmental health ,Criticism ,business ,Psychology ,Law ,Sentence - Abstract
Public opinion surveys have long documented public criticism of ‘lenient’ sentencers. There are two principal perceptions contributing to negative attitudes: a lack of community input and the view that sentencers determine sentence according to their own views. This study embeds an experimental design within a representative survey of respondents in England and Wales (n = 1,004), supplemented by laboratory-based work (n = 230) and focus groups. Results demonstrated that the public is ill-informed about both the magistracy and the sentencing guidelines. In addition, providing information about sentencing changed public attitudes to sentencing and reduced public punitiveness. Respondents were less critical of disposals and less punitive in their own sentence recommendations when they had been given context about the structure of sentencing.
- Published
- 2012
14. Sentencing for Murder: Exploring Public Knowledge and Public Opinion in England and Wales
- Author
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Barry Mitchell and Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
English law ,Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous) ,Social Psychology ,Public knowledge ,business.industry ,Law ,Political science ,Public opinion ,business ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine - Published
- 2011
15. Public Attitudes to the Criminal Jury: a Review of Recent Findings
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts and Mike Hough
- Subjects
Opposition (planets) ,business.industry ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Common law ,Poison control ,Context (language use) ,Public opinion ,Scholarship ,Adversarial system ,Jury ,Law ,Political science ,business ,media_common - Abstract
A considerable body of scholarship has explored the jury as a legal institution but community reaction to the institution and function of the jury has not, to date, been the subject of a review. The present article fills this void by addressing a number of important questions about public attitudes to the jury. The focus is upon public attitudes to the criminal jury in England and Wales, although limited comparisons are made with public opinion in other jurisdictions. The results demonstrate widespread support for, and confidence in, the criminal jury, both in this country and in other common law jurisdictions. The research record also demonstrates strong public opposition to proposals to restrict the right to trial by jury. There is some evidence, however, that support for the right to trial by jury may decline in the context of offenders charged with terrorism‐related offences.
- Published
- 2011
16. Sentencing for Murder: Drawing Lessons from Research
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts and Barry Mitchell
- Subjects
Empirical research ,Homicide ,business.industry ,Law ,Black letter law ,Conviction ,Select committee ,Criminology ,Psychology ,Public opinion ,business ,Sentence ,Life imprisonment - Abstract
The literature on sentencing for murder falls into four categories. First, ‘black letter’ law sets out how the courts should punish convicted murderers and what should happen to them after conviction. Second, empirical research sheds light on the way that the sentencing provisions for murder determine the number of years served in custody prior to release on life licence. Third, a number of studies have documented what the public know or believe about sentencing for murder as well as how the public think murder ought to be punished (e.g., Mitchell and Roberts, 2012). Public opinion research is relevant to the sentencing for murder since public views are often employed to justify retention of a mandatory sentence (see Mitchell and Roberts, 2012). Fourth, there is a wealth of academic commentary advocating sentencing reform (e.g., House of Lords Select Committee, 1989; Committee on the Penalty for Homicide, 1993; Morris and Blom-Cooper, 2011; Mitchell and Roberts, 2013).
- Published
- 2015
17. Sentencing, Legitimacy, and Public Opinion
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts and Mojca M. Plesničar
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business.industry ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Morality ,Public opinion ,Politics ,Scholarship ,Legitimation ,Law ,Political science ,Model Penal Code ,business ,Legitimacy ,media_common ,Criminal justice - Abstract
Much of the scholarship on legitimacy and criminal justice has focused on the ways that perceptions of legitimacy are shaped by contact with criminal justice professionals, notably the police. This chapter explores the relationship between the nature of the sentencing regime and public perceptions of penal legitimacy, or what we refer to as “empirical legitimacy ” (see Hinsch, Political legitimation without morality, (pp. 39–52). London: Springer, 2008). Part I explores public attitudes to sentencing and the reasons why the public in many countries may perceive their sentencing system to lack legitimacy. Part II explores ways of enhancing public perceptions of sentencing legitimacy. This includes the outline of what a “high legitimacy” sentencing regime would look like. In order to be perceived as legitimate, a sentencing regime needs to contain certain essential features. It must be (and must be perceived to be): (a) clear and transparent; (b) consistent in application and therefore predictable; (c) sensitive to the input of all relevant parties; (d) grounded in sound principles. Finally, we argue that the sentencing system must be communicated to the public in an understandable fashion in order to avoid erroneous expectations. The mere existence of sound sentencing principles is insufficient to ensure a high degree of empirical legitimacy.
- Published
- 2014
18. Sentencing young offenders
- Author
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Mike Hough and Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
business.industry ,Compensation (psychology) ,050901 criminology ,05 social sciences ,Criminology ,Public opinion ,Young offender ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Justice (ethics) ,0509 other social sciences ,business ,Psychology ,Imprisonment ,Law ,Social psychology ,Sentence ,050104 developmental & child psychology - Abstract
This article presents findings from a survey that systematically explores public opinion, youth crime and justice in England and Wales. Particular emphasis was placed upon public reaction to restorative sentencing. The survey uncovered a number of misperceptions about youth crime. Few respondents rated youth courts as doing a good job, and most thought that sentences imposed on young offenders are too lenient. A considerable gap existed between the sentences that respondents wanted to see imposed on young offenders and the sentences that they assumed would be imposed. Generally speaking, expected sentences were less harsh than favoured punishments. When respondents were asked to impose sentence in case scenarios, there was significantly less support for custody as a sanction when the young offender had made some restorative steps such as writing a letter of apology and promising to make compensation to the victim. When asked about alternatives to imprisonment, significant proportions of respondents found alternatives to be satisfactory substitutes for imprisonment, a result consistent with research in other jurisdictions.
- Published
- 2005
19. The State of the Prisons: Exploring Public Knowledge and Opinion
- Author
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Mike Hough and Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
Punishment ,business.industry ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Prison ,Context (language use) ,State of affairs ,Criminology ,Public opinion ,State (polity) ,Political science ,business ,Imprisonment ,Law ,media_common ,Skepticism - Abstract
This article reviews public opinion research relating to imprisonment. Thefocus is upon British attitudes, but wherever possible we place findings from this countryin an international context. Most members of the public report little familiarity with theprison system – few people report having had any direct contact with a penal institution.A common finding around the world is that most people believe that prison conditions arequite easy; this belief helps to explain low public levels of confidence in the prison system.Despite these trends, the public does not wish to make prison life harsher merely for thepurpose of punishment. People want and expect prisoners to improve their lives whileinside, although there is widespread scepticism that rehabilitation is possible in today’sprisons. Although the traffic of people in and out of the prison gates today is large,nevertheless the prison is a silent world still shrouded in mystery. (Blom-Cooper1976, p.72) Despite the efforts of legislators to counter the problem, prison popula-tions are stable or rising in most western jurisdictions (see below). Oneexplanation for this state of affairs is the apparently strong public supportfor imprisonment as a sanction. Judges and magistrates feel underpressure to respond to public pressure on this issue (see Hough, Jacobsonand Millie 2003). However, relatively little is known about public viewsregarding imprisonment, as the emphasis in the public opinion literaturehas been upon sentencing rather than the nature of custody per se.Weknow that when asked to sentence offenders convicted of serious crimes ofviolence, most people support the imposition of a term of custody. It isequally clear from several reviews that the public believes the sentencingprocess is too lenient (for example, Cullen, Fisher and Applegate 2000;Roberts and Stalans 1997; Roberts 1992) and also that people in differentcountries underestimate the severity of current court practices (forexample, Roberts and Hough 2005; Roberts 1998; Mattinson and
- Published
- 2005
20. Restorative Sentencing: Exploring the Views of the Public
- Author
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Loretta J. Stalans and Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
Retributive justice ,Sociology and Political Science ,Restorative justice ,business.industry ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Punitive damages ,Proportionality (law) ,Criminology ,Public opinion ,Anthropology ,Sociology ,business ,Law ,Seriousness ,media_common ,Social policy ,Adjudication - Abstract
Within the past decade, restorative justice has emerged as a truly global phenomenon. Although retributive justice has dominated the penal landscape, more recently, restorative principles at sentencing have attracted increased attention. Restorative sentencing emphasizes the importance of compensation and reconciliation between victims and offenders and pays less attention to establishing proportionality between the seriousness of the offense and the severity of the sentence imposed. Although voluminous (and proliferating), the scholarly literature on restorative justice has to date neglected one critical issue: public opinion with respect to this justice paradigm. Public opinion researchers too, have generally overlooked this topic. The goal of this paper is to determine which elements of the new paradigm generate public approval, and which features are likely to encounter or provoke public opposition, drawing upon related international research published in English over the past 20 years (1982–2002). The review reveals widespread support for “restorative” sentencing options, such as community service, compensation, and restitution, particularly when applied to young offenders. However, it also seems clear that public support for these alternatives to punitive sentencing options declines as the seriousness of the offence increases, suggesting strong public adherence to the retributive principle of proportionality in sentencing.
- Published
- 2004
21. Public Opinion and Youth Justice
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
Sociology and Political Science ,business.industry ,Human factors and ergonomics ,Poison control ,Criminology ,Public opinion ,Ambivalence ,Computer security ,computer.software_genre ,Economic Justice ,Suicide prevention ,Political science ,Injury prevention ,Juvenile delinquency ,business ,computer - Abstract
Surveys conducted over the past twenty years in several English-speaking countries reveal that most members of the public subscribe to a number of misperceptions about juvenile crime and justice. Regardless of actual trends, significant majorities believe youth crime to be increasing, and most people have quite negative views of youth courts. The public display considerable ambivalence with respect to juvenile justice. While strong majorities favor punishing violent juveniles with the same severity as adults, there has always been considerable support for rehabilitation. There is a clear consensus among scholars that public concern about youth crime, particularly violent crime, has been a driving force behind reforms that facilitated the transfer of accused juveniles to adult criminal court and made penalties harsher for offenders sentenced in youth court.
- Published
- 2004
22. Public Opinion and Mandatory Sentencing
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
Mandatory sentencing ,business.industry ,Judicial discretion ,05 social sciences ,Poison control ,Legislation ,Public opinion ,Computer security ,computer.software_genre ,Suicide prevention ,Occupational safety and health ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,050903 gender studies ,Law ,Political science ,Injury prevention ,050501 criminology ,0509 other social sciences ,business ,computer ,General Psychology ,0505 law - Abstract
All Western nations have passed mandatory sentencing legislation that removes or greatly curtails judicial discretion. These mandatory sentencing laws have proliferated in recent years with predictable consequences for prison populations. A response to public demand for more severe sentencing is one of the justifications for mandatory sentences of imprisonment. In addition, politicians use mandatory sentencing legislation to enhance their standing in the eyes of the public. Politicians appear to assume that the public is strongly supportive of these laws, though scientifically valid surveys are never cited to support these assumptions. This article reviews the international findings from surveys that reveal that the public is deeply divided about mandatory sentencing. Part of the reason for this is that there is more support for proportional sentencing than for utilitarian goals, such as deterrence or incapacitation. In addition, survey data suggest that the electoral advantage of promoting these laws has been considerably overstated.
- Published
- 2003
23. Clarifying the Significance of Public Opinion for Sentencing Policy and Practice1
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
business.industry ,Political science ,Law ,Public administration ,Public opinion ,business - Published
- 2014
24. Popular Punishment
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts and Jesper Ryberg
- Subjects
business.industry ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Stakeholder ,Proportionality (law) ,Criminology ,Public opinion ,Democracy ,Criminal liability ,Political science ,Law ,Normative ,Popular opinion ,Critical assessment ,business ,media_common - Abstract
Contributors Introduction: Exploring the Normative Significance of Public Opinion for State Punishment, Jesper Ryberg and Julian V. Roberts Chapter 1: Penal Theory, Moral Intuitions, and Public Opinion, Jesper Ryberg Chapter 2: Proportionality Theory and Popular Opinion, Matt Matravers Chapter 3: The Proper Role of Community in Determining Criminal Liability and Punishment, Paul H. Robinson Chapter 4: Proportionality in Sentencing: The Need to Factor in Community Experience, Not Public Opinion, Mirko Bagaric Chapter 5: Penal Theory and Popular Opinion: The Deficiencies of Direct Engagement, Jan W. de Keijser Chapter 6: Why Should We Care What the Public Thinks? A Critical Assessment of the Claims of Popular Punishment, Frej K. Thomsen Chapter 7: Public Opinion and Democratic Control of Sentencing Policy, Christopher Bennett Chapter 8: Criminal Prosecutors: Experts or Elected Officials?, Richard L. Lippke Chapter 9: Stakeholder Sentencing, Thom Brooks Chapter 10: Repellent Institutions and the Absentee Public: Grounding Opinion in Responsibility for Punishment, Albert W. Dzur Chapter 11: Clarifying the Significance of Public Opinion for Sentencing Policy and Practice, Julian V. Roberts Notes Bibliography Index
- Published
- 2014
25. Exploring the Normative Significance of Public Opinion for State Punishment
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts and Jesper Ryberg
- Subjects
Normative social influence ,State (polity) ,Punishment ,business.industry ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Political science ,Normative ,Public opinion ,business ,Social psychology ,media_common - Published
- 2014
26. Changing public attitudes towards corporal punishment: the effects of statutory reform in Sweden
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
Child abuse ,Punishment ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Public policy ,Public Policy ,Legislation ,Public opinion ,Statutory law ,Developmental and Educational Psychology ,medicine ,Humans ,Child Abuse ,Sociology ,Child ,Policy Making ,media_common ,Sweden ,Law reform ,Parenting ,business.industry ,Data Collection ,medicine.disease ,Psychiatry and Mental health ,Public Opinion ,Law ,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health ,business ,Corporal punishment - Abstract
Objective: One justification for a statutory ban on physical punishment is that passage of such legislation changes public attitudes towards the use of this form of parental discipline. The experience in Sweden is often cited as an example of legislation which changed public opinion. The aim of this brief article is to review the public opinion findings in Sweden in order to evaluate in greater detail the impact of changing the law. Method: A search was conducted to generate all published and publicly-available quantitative surveys of the public in Sweden and elsewhere. Results: The results of time-series analysis of the data are clear. The 1979 legal reform in Sweden did not reduce the level of public support for parental use of corporal punishment as a means of disciplining children. Support for physical punishment began declining years before the reform was passed and the decline was in no way accelerated by the law reform. Changes in public opinion may have generated the legal reform, but the reverse is not true. Data from other jurisdictions also support the view that there is no relationship between the status of the law and the nature of public views with regard to corporal punishment. This result is consistent with analyses of the effects of legal reforms in other areas. Conclusions: The Swedish ban on corporal punishment did not affect public attitudes. Changing public views requires other initiatives.
- Published
- 2000
27. Public attitudes toward conditional sentencing: Results of a national survey
- Author
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Trevor Sanders and Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
business.industry ,Psychology ,Public opinion ,business ,Social psychology ,General Psychology ,Adjudication - Published
- 2000
28. Jane Wood and Theresa Gannon (eds.), Public Opinion and Criminal Justice
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
Theory of criminal justice ,business.industry ,Political science ,Law ,General Social Sciences ,Public opinion ,business ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,Criminal justice - Published
- 2009
29. Sentencing Trends in Britain
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts and Mike Hough
- Subjects
business.industry ,050901 criminology ,05 social sciences ,Public opinion ,Public knowledge ,Political science ,Law ,Criticism ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,0509 other social sciences ,business ,Social Sciences (miscellaneous) ,050104 developmental & child psychology - Abstract
Research on public opinion over the past three decades has consistently established that the British public are critical of sentencers, and that this criticism exists independent of crime trends and even dramatic changes in criminal justice policies. This finding points to the possibilities that the findings are an artefact of the approach used by these surveys or that public opinion is formed in ignorance of actual practice. The 1996 British Crime Survey (BCS) contained a section of questions designed to test these hypotheses. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their knowledge of, as well as attitudes towards, sentencing practice and sentencers. Results indicate that judges received significantly more negative evaluations than any other group of criminal justice professionals. The public systematically under-estimate the severity of sentencing patterns, and this is significantly related to attitudes to sentencers. When asked to provide a sentence in a specific case of burglary, members of the public favoured sentences that were on balance little different from, and if anything more lenient than, current sentencing practice. Discussion focuses on the policy implications of these findings, as well as their relation to research in other jurisdictions.
- Published
- 1999
30. Rape reform in Canada: Public knowledge and opinion
- Author
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Robert J. Gebotys, Michelle G. Grossman, and Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Sociology and Political Science ,business.industry ,Public health ,Poison control ,Legislation ,Criminology ,Public opinion ,Legal psychology ,Clinical Psychology ,Sexual abuse ,Statutory law ,medicine ,Psychology ,business ,Law ,Social Sciences (miscellaneous) ,Criminal justice - Abstract
Rape reform legislation in Canada was designed to change: 1) the way sexual assault cases were processed by the criminal justice system and 2) public opinion about crimes of sexual aggression. This article reports findings from a representative survey of the Canadian public and an experimental analysis of the effects of the legislation on public knowledge and attitudes. Results from the nation-wide survey indicated that most people are unaware of the semantic shift (from the old language of rape and indecent assault to the new crimes of sexual assault). However, there is awareness of the substantive legal changes introduced by the rape reform legislation (such as the fact that husbands are no longer immune from criminal changes involving their wives). It is clear that rape reform legislation has affected public knowledge of statutory reforms regarding crimes of sexual aggression. Results from the experimental component of this research show that the new sexual assault label has not achieved one of the important goals, namely of changing public perceptions of the nature of crimes of sexual aggression. Indeed, one negative effect predicted by feminist writers seems to have emerged: sentencing decisions made by the public for the offense of rape were less severe when the incident was described as a sexual assault.
- Published
- 1996
31. Public Opinion and Crime Prevention: A Review of International Trends
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts and Ross Hastings
- Subjects
Punishment ,Crime prevention ,business.industry ,Political science ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Cultural criminology ,Public relations ,business ,Public support ,Public opinion ,Public awareness ,media_common - Published
- 2012
32. The Future of State PunishmentThe Role of Public Opinion in Sentencing
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
State (polity) ,business.industry ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Political science ,Law ,Public administration ,Public opinion ,business ,media_common - Published
- 2011
33. Custody or community? Exploring the boundaries of public punitiveness in England and Wales
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts and Mike Hough
- Subjects
Custodial sentence ,business.industry ,Poison control ,Human factors and ergonomics ,Criminology ,Public opinion ,Suicide prevention ,Law ,Injury prevention ,Opinion poll ,business ,Imprisonment ,Psychology - Abstract
Determining the factors which make a difference between a custodial sentence and a community penalty is one of the most challenging decisions for sentencers. Little research to date has explored the nature of public reaction to mitigating factors and the circumstances which may justify imposition of a community penalty even though the custodial threshold has been crossed. This article reports findings from a representative survey of the British public. Respondents were asked a series of questions designed to explore public reaction to sentencing cases at the custodial threshold. Public opinion polls suggest that the public respond punitively at sentencing, and have little sympathy for mitigating factors relating to the offender. In a series of questions, using experimental manipulations, respondents demonstrated considerable flexibility when sentencing cases near the custodial threshold. Significant support emerged for a wide range of mitigating factors at sentencing. The strength of public support for custody as a sanction was also explored by providing respondents who had imposed a term of imprisonment a possible alternative community penalty. Significant proportions of respondents found the alternative acceptable, even for relatively serious offences. © The Author(s) 2011.
- Published
- 2011
34. News media influences on public views of sentencing
- Author
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Anthony N. Doob and Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
business.industry ,Media coverage ,Public opinion ,Preference ,Newspaper ,Legal psychology ,Psychiatry and Mental health ,Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous) ,Law ,business ,Psychology ,Imprisonment ,General Psychology ,News media ,Adjudication - Abstract
Opinion polls in Canada, the United States, Great Britain, Australia, and elsewhere suggest that most members of the public would like their criminal courts to be harsher. Does media coverage of criminal sentencing contribute to a preference for harsher sentencing? Most people derive their information about sentencing from the news media and content analyses of news stories in Canada and the United States demonstrate that crimes of violence and sentences of imprisonment are overrepresented. Moreover, the news media provide little systematic information about the sentencing process or its underlying principles. This article reports the results of three studies examining the effects of media coverage on public opinion about sentencing. Subjects who read actual newspaper stories about sentencing that appeared in Canadian newspapers rated most reported sentences as too lenient. However, the specific account they read influenced their leniency judgments. Furthermore, in one experiment, participants assigned to read a newspaper account of a sentencing decision supported harsher sentences than participants who read a summary of actual court documents from the sentencing hearing.
- Published
- 1990
35. Public attitudes to community custody
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
Work (electrical) ,business.industry ,Political science ,Novelty ,Sanctions ,Criminology ,Public relations ,Public opinion ,business ,Imprisonment ,Personal injury ,Sentence ,Criminal justice - Abstract
Although there is now an extensive literature on public attitudes towards sentencing, and alternatives to traditional imprisonment, most of this research focuses on alternative sanctions other than community custody: far less is known about public reaction to terms of imprisonment served at home. One reason for this is the relative novelty of this sanction in many jurisdictions. Researchers have explored public reaction to some elements of community custody, such as home detention, electronic monitoring, and curfews; this work sheds light on public opinion regarding community custody, and will be examined here. As well, researchers in Canada have surveyed the public with respect to the community custody sentence, with interesting results. After discussing public reaction to alternative sanctions in general terms, this chapter explores the extent of public knowledge, and nature of public opinion regarding community custody. The research findings suggest that if community custody is properly conceived, and fully explained to the community, it is seen as a satisfactory substitute for institutional imprisonment for a wide range of offences. Public support for community custody seems to increase as the conditions imposed on the offender become more restrictive. However, for the present at least, the public appear to draw the line at using this sanction for the most serious personal injury offences. For these crimes, the public continue to regard penal sequestration as the only appropriate criminal justice response.
- Published
- 2004
36. Public Attitudes to the Criminal Jury: a Review of Recent Findings.
- Author
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ROBERTS, JULIAN V. and HOUGH, MIKE
- Subjects
- *
JURY , *PUBLIC opinion , *CRIMINAL justice system , *CRIMINAL jurisdiction - Abstract
A considerable body of scholarship has explored the jury as a legal institution but community reaction to the institution and function of the jury has not, to date, been the subject of a review. The present article fills this void by addressing a number of important questions about public attitudes to the jury. The focus is upon public attitudes to the criminal jury in England and Wales, although limited comparisons are made with public opinion in other jurisdictions. The results demonstrate widespread support for, and confidence in, the criminal jury, both in this country and in other common law jurisdictions. The research record also demonstrates strong public opposition to proposals to restrict the right to trial by jury. There is some evidence, however, that support for the right to trial by jury may decline in the context of offenders charged with terrorism-related offences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Personal Mitigation, Public Opinion and Sentencing Guidelines in England and Wales.
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V., Hough, Mike, and Ashworth, Andrew
- Subjects
EXTENUATING circumstances ,SENTENCING guidelines (Criminal procedure) ,CRIMINAL sentencing ,PUBLIC opinion - Abstract
The authors comment on an article by Austin Lovegrove about the role of personal mitigation under the sentencing guidelines set by the government of Great Britain. The authors explain some of the important flaws they identified from the analysis of Lovegrove and offer correction to misconceptions about the role of mitigation. They also examine the interpretation of Lovegrove on public attitudes in Wales and England.
- Published
- 2011
38. Custody or community? Exploring the boundaries of public punitiveness in England and Wales.
- Author
-
Roberts, Julian V. and Hough, Mike
- Subjects
- *
CUSTODIAL sentences , *CORRECTIONAL law , *CRIMINAL sentencing , *PUBLIC opinion polls - Abstract
Determining the factors which make a difference between a custodial sentence and a community penalty is one of the most challenging decisions for sentencers. Little research to date has explored the nature of public reaction to mitigating factors and the circumstances which may justify imposition of a community penalty even though the custodial threshold has been crossed. This article reports findings from a representative survey of the British public. Respondents were asked a series of questions designed to explore public reaction to sentencing cases at the custodial threshold. Public opinion polls suggest that the public respond punitively at sentencing, and have little sympathy for mitigating factors relating to the offender. In a series of questions, using experimental manipulations, respondents demonstrated considerable flexibility when sentencing cases near the custodial threshold. Significant support emerged for a wide range of mitigating factors at sentencing. The strength of public support for custody as a sanction was also explored by providing respondents who had imposed a term of imprisonment a possible alternative community penalty. Significant proportions of respondents found the alternative acceptable, even for relatively serious offences. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Public Attitudes to Sentencing Purposes and Sentencing Factors: An Empirical Analysis.
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V., Hough, Mike, Jacobson, Jessica, and Moon, Nick
- Subjects
PUBLIC opinion ,CRIMINAL sentencing ,EXTENUATING circumstances ,EMPIRICAL research - Abstract
This article reports findings from empirical research upon public attitudes to sentencing purposes and sentencing factors. The results demonstrate high levels of support for the use of previous convictions at sentencing. As well, there was significant public support for a range of mitigating factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
40. Public Attitudes to the Sentencing of Offences Involving Death by Driving.
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V., Hough, Mike, Jacobson, Jessica, Moon, Nick, and Bredee, Alan
- Subjects
CRIMINAL sentencing ,DEATH ,AUTOMOBILE driving ,PUBLIC opinion ,EMPIRICAL research - Abstract
This article reports findings from empirical research upon public attitudes to the sentencing of culpable driving offences resulting in death. With the exception of one offence, the results indicated greater tolerance for current and recommended sentencing practices than is generally supposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
41. Sentencing, Public Opinion and the News Media
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
business.industry ,Political science ,General Engineering ,General Earth and Planetary Sciences ,Public relations ,business ,Public opinion ,News media ,General Environmental Science - Published
- 1995
42. Public Confidence in Criminal Justice in Canada: A Comparative and Contextual Analysis.
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V.
- Subjects
- *
PUBLIC opinion , *PUBLIC support , *POLITICAL opposition , *POLITICAL attitudes , *CRIMINAL justice system , *CONVICTION rates , *SITUATION ethics , *ECONOMIC trends , *CRIMINAL law - Abstract
Public confidence in criminal justice has emerged as an important issue in most western nations. Several jurisdictions have made promoting public confidence a policy priority, and governments in many countries have recently conducted public opinion surveys to gauge levels of confidence in criminal justice. However, little is known about levels of public confidence in criminal justice in Canada. This article reviews the empirical research on this issue and attempts to explain current trends. Although a significant plurality of the public expresses little confidence in the justice system, more people are positive than are negative. In comparison to other countries, confidence levels in criminal justice are generally higher in Canada. This said, the public has less confidence in the justice system than in other public institutions such as the health care system. Consistent with findings elsewhere, the police attract most, and the prison system the least amount of public confidence. The article places these findings in context, and discusses their implications for research and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Public Attitudes to Sentencing in Canada: Exploring Recent Findings.
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V., Crutcher, Nicole, and Verbrugge, Paul
- Subjects
- *
SURVEYS , *CRIMINAL sentencing , *PUBLIC opinion , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *IMPRISONMENT , *CRIMINAL justice system , *CRIMINALS , *JUDICIAL discretion - Abstract
This article reports findings from two representative public-opinion surveys that explored Canadians’ attitudes toward three important sentencing issues: the severity of sentencing; the purposes of sentencing; and mandatory sentences of imprisonment. As has been found by polls over the past 30 years, most Canadians believe that sentencing practices are too lenient. The same result emerged from a poll conducted in 2005: 74% of respondents held the view that sentencing is too lenient – a finding consistent with polls conducted throughout the 1980s. With respect to the purposes of sentencing, strongest public support emerged for the restorative sentencing objectives of promoting a sense of responsibility in the offender and securing reparation for the crime victim. There was less support for the more traditional purposes of deterrence and incapacitation. This finding represents a marked contrast to findings from the last survey that evaluated public reaction to sentencing purposes (in 1985). Slightly more than half the sample in 2005 expressed support for mandatory sentencing – a result consistent with opinion surveys from the United States and Australia. However, there was strong public support for mandatory sentencing legislation that also permits a limited degree of judicial discretion. The public appear aware of the dangers of an absolute mandatory sentence of imprisonment and support mandatory sentences in which courts may impose a lesser sentence where exceptional circumstances exist. The implications of these findings for sentencing policy in Canada are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. The State of the Prisons: Exploring Public Knowledge and Opinion.
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V. and Hough, Mike
- Subjects
- *
PUBLIC opinion polls , *CRIMINOLOGY , *CRIMINAL justice system , *IMPRISONMENT , *PUBLIC opinion - Abstract
This article reviews public opinion research relating to imprisonment. The focus is upon British attitudes, but wherever possible we place findings from this country in an international context. Most members of the public report little familiarity with the prison system– few people report having had any direct contact with a penal institution. A common finding around the world is that most people believe that prison conditions are quite easy; this belief helps to explain low public levels of confidence in the prison system. Despite these trends, the public does not wish to make prison life harsher merely for the purpose of punishment. People want and expect prisoners to improve their lives while inside, although there is widespread scepticism that rehabilitation is possible in today's prisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. CHANGING PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS CORPORAL PUNISHMENT: THE EFFECTS OF STATUTORY REFORM IN SWEDEN.
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V.
- Subjects
- *
CORPORAL punishment , *DISCIPLINE of children , *PUBLIC opinion , *LAW reform - Abstract
Objective: One justification for a statutory ban on physical punishment is that passage of such legislation changes public attitudes towards the use of this form of parental discipline. The experience in Sweden is often cited as an example of legislation which changed public opinion. The aim of this brief article is to review the public opinion findings in Sweden in order to evaluate in greater detail the impact of changing the law. Method: A search was conducted to generate all published and publicly-available quantitative surveys of the public in Sweden and elsewhere. Results: The results of time-series analysis of the data are clear. The 1979 legal reform in Sweden did not reduce the level of public support for parental use of corporal punishment as a means of disciplining children. Support for physical punishment began declining years before the reform was passed and the decline was in no way accelerated by the law reform. Changes in public opinion may have generated the legal reform, but the reverse is not true. Data from other jurisdictions also support the view that there is no relationship between the status of the law and the nature of public views with regard to corporal punishment. This result is consistent with analyses of the effects of legal reforms in other areas. Conclusions: The Swedish ban on corporal punishment did not affect public attitudes. Changing public views requires other initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2000
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Sentencing trends in Britain: Public knowledge and public opinion.
- Author
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Hough, Mike and Roberts, Julian V.
- Subjects
- *
PUNISHMENT , *CRIMINAL sentencing , *CRIMINAL justice system , *PUBLIC opinion - Abstract
Research on public opinion over the past three decades has consistently established that the British public are critical of sentencers, and that this criticism exists independent of crime trends and even dramatic changes in criminal justice policies. This finding points to the possibilities that the findings are an artefact of the approach used by these surveys or that public opinion is formed in ignorance of actual practice. The 1996 British Crime Survey (BCS) contained a section of questions designed to test these hypotheses. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their knowledge of, as well as attitudes towards, sentencing practice and sentencers. Results indicate that judges received significantly more negative evaluations than any other group of criminal justice professionals. The public systematically under-estimate the severity of sentencing patterns, and this is significantly related to attitudes to sentencers. When asked to provide a sentence in a specific case of burglary, members of the public favoured sentences that were on balance little different from, and if anything more lenient than, current sentencing practice. Discussion focuses on the policy implications of these findings, as well as their relation to research in other jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 1999
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. The Purposes of Sentencing: Public Support for Competing Aims.
- Author
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Roberts, Julian V. and Gebotys, Robert J.
- Subjects
- *
CRIMINAL sentencing , *PUBLIC support , *CORRECTIONAL law , *CRIMINAL procedure , *PUBLIC opinion - Abstract
With reform of the sentencing process a priority in both the United States and Canada, there has been a growth of interest in public attitudes toward the goals of sentencing. Two studies investigated the Unperson's view of the appropriate purpose of sentencing offenders. Previous work on this topic has simply provided subjects with a checklist of sentencing purposes and asked them to endorse one. The present research--using both college students and members of the general public--employed a procedure that allows researchers to infer the principle underlying sentencing decisions. In the first study, subjects rated the importance of several sentencing purposes and also assigned sentences to offenders described in scenarios. Severity of assigned sentence was significantly correlated only with the seriousness of the offence. Ratings of the importance of general deterrence, incapacitation, or rehabilitation were not significantly related to severity of recommended penalties. This result contrasts with the importance ratings of these purposes provided by the subjects themselves. These findings were replicated in the second study, which employed an independent sample of subjects. In contrast to the results of opinion polls, it would appear that the public is more concerned with the principle of just deserts than with the utilitarian sentencing alms such as deterrence, incapacitation, or rehabilitation. The methodological implications of this research and the consequences of these findings for sentencing policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 1989
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. News Media Use and Public Perceptions of Crime Seriousness.
- Author
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Gebotys, Robert J., Roberts, Julian V., and DasGupta, Bikram
- Subjects
MASS media & crime ,TELEVISION broadcasting of news ,PUBLIC opinion polls ,PUBLIC opinion ,CRIME victims ,RIGHT of publicity ,VICTIMIZATION rates ,OFFENSES against the person ,HOMICIDE - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Journal of Criminology is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 1988
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Public views of sentencing: The role of offender characteristics
- Author
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Robert J. Gebotys and Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
Age differences ,business.industry ,Public opinion ,business ,Psychology ,Social psychology ,General Psychology - Published
- 1987
50. Public Opinion and Capital Punishment: The Effects of Attitudes Upon Memory
- Author
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Julian V. Roberts
- Subjects
business.industry ,Capital punishment ,Public opinion ,business ,Psychology ,Social psychology ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine - Published
- 1984
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