Work

Does Criminal Experience Affect a Person’s Perceptual Deterrence of Sanctions and Controlling Mechanisms in China?

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Two notable gaps remain undressed in deterrence literature: (a) few studies on perceptual deterrence were conducted in non-Western societies, and (b) a lack of direct comparison between offenders and nonoffenders. This study investigated the perceived risk levels associated with different sanctions and controlling mechanisms and whether criminal experience affects one's perceived risk levels based on the data drawn from non-offenders and active offenders in China. The study found that most of both offenders and non-offenders either agreed or strongly agreed that capital punishment, imprisonment, and police patrol serve as powerful deterrents to crime. Findings showed that offenders exhibited higher levels of perceived deterrence; personal criminal experience is a significant predictor for the perceived deterrence of neighborhood watches only.

Source: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology

DOI: 10.1177/0306624x251318680

Authors: Shanhe Jiang, Xin Jiang, Jianhong Liu, Dawei Zhang

Institutions: Wayne State University, Tulane University, University of Macau, Central China Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Crime Patterns and Interventions

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: bronze

OpenAlex ID: W4407908387

FWCI: 3.592

Cites: 51

Cited by: 2

Related to: 10