Rising punitivity in times of economic crisis? Assessing the relationship between the economic situation and the longing for harsher sanctioning

  • This paper analyses if the economic situation is related to punitivity, that is, if adverse of economic patterns go along with a longing for harsher sanctions in the population. Several scholars have postulated that increased economic insecurities and anxieties may lead to the preference for harsher sanctioning. Empirical research, however, could not confirm the link between individual economic conditions and punitivity. We therefore introduce the concept of relative deprivation as mechanism between the economic situation and punitivity. Database is a nationwide representative survey (N = 3,073) with a multilevel design that allows to differentiate between the individual and the county level conditions. Our analyses confirmed the impact of the regional economic situation on punitivity. The objective individual situation, however, has no influence on punitivity, when we control for relative deprivation and education. Additionally, we find a significant impact of relative deprivation on punitivity. Relative deprivation itself isThis paper analyses if the economic situation is related to punitivity, that is, if adverse of economic patterns go along with a longing for harsher sanctions in the population. Several scholars have postulated that increased economic insecurities and anxieties may lead to the preference for harsher sanctioning. Empirical research, however, could not confirm the link between individual economic conditions and punitivity. We therefore introduce the concept of relative deprivation as mechanism between the economic situation and punitivity. Database is a nationwide representative survey (N = 3,073) with a multilevel design that allows to differentiate between the individual and the county level conditions. Our analyses confirmed the impact of the regional economic situation on punitivity. The objective individual situation, however, has no influence on punitivity, when we control for relative deprivation and education. Additionally, we find a significant impact of relative deprivation on punitivity. Relative deprivation itself is dependent on the individual economic situation as well as on the county level economic conditions.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author:Michael Hanslmaier, Dirk Baier
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/01924036.2016.1193037
ISSN:0192-4036
Parent Title (English):International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice
Publisher:Informa UK Limited
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of first Publication:2016/06/02
Reviewed:Begutachtet/Reviewed
Release Date:2026/01/26
Volume:40
Issue:4
Pagenumber:14
First Page:293
Last Page:306
institutes:Fakultät Sozialwissenschaften
Research Themes:Soziale & ökonomische Transformation
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