IS REVENGE SWEET? THE EFFECT OF ATTITUDE TOWARD A THIEF ON CRIME REPORTING

• NCJ Number: 27199
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1975) Pages: 101-112
• Author(s): L BICKMAN; S K GREEN
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): GS 35280
• Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS SHOPLIFTING STUDY, BASED ON SUBJECTS' REACTIONS TO A STAGED SHOPLIFTING, INDICATES THAT THE SUBJECTS' DECISIONS ON WHETHER TO REPORT THE CRIME WAS NOT INFLUENCED BY THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE 'THIEF'.

Abstract

PRIOR TO STAGING THE THEFT IN VIEW OF THE SUBJECTS, THE 'THIEF' STAGED AN INTERACTION WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO CREATE A POSITIVE, NEUTRAL, OR NEGATIVE ATTITUDE ON THE PART OF THE SUBJECTS TOWARD HIM. THIS WAS FOUND NOT TO INFLUENCE THE DECISION TO REPORT THE THEFT. THE SUBJECTS' GENERAL ATTITUDES TOWARD SHOPLIFTERS WAS FOUND TO BE A DETERMINANT IN THEIR DECISION. VALUE OF THE OBJECT TAKEN WAS NOT A SIGNIFICANT DETERMINANT.