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Racial prejudice, perceived injustice, and the Black-White gap in punitive attitudes

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  • Johnson, Devon

Abstract

Conflict theory and previous research suggest that the Black-White difference in support for harsh criminal punishments may be linked to anti-Black prejudice among Whites and perceived injustice among Blacks. Using survey data from the 2001 Race, Crime and Public Opinion Study, this article examines the sources of the racial gap in levels of punitiveness. Two main explanations are tested: perceived racial bias in the criminal justice system and racial prejudice. The results indicate that, together, racial prejudice and perceived racial bias explain the Black-White gap in punitive attitudes.

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  • Johnson, Devon, 2008. "Racial prejudice, perceived injustice, and the Black-White gap in punitive attitudes," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 198-206, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcjust:v:36:y::i:2:p:198-206
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    1. Cochran, John K. & Chamlin, Mitchell B., 2006. "The enduring racial divide in death penalty support," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 85-99.
    2. Henderson, Martha L. & Cullen, Francis T. & Cao, Liqun & Browning, Sandra Lee & Kopache, Renee, 1997. "The impact of race on perceptions of criminal injustice," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 447-462, November.
    3. Cullen, Francis T. & Cullen, John B. & Wozniak, John F., 1988. "Is rehabilitation dead? The myth of the punitive public," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 303-317.
    4. Secret, Philip E. & Johnson, James B., 1989. "Racial differences in attitudes toward crime control," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 361-375.
    5. Taylor, Terrance J. & Turner, K. B. & Esbensen, Finn-Aage & Winfree, L. Thomas, 2001. "Coppin' an attitude: Attitudinal differences among juveniles toward police," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 295-305.
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    1. Mancini, Christina & Metcalfe, Christi, 2023. "Public assessments of the criminal justice system in addressing mental health," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    2. Hannan, Kellie & Cullen, Francis T. & Butler, Leah C. & Graham, Amanda & Burton, Alexander L. & Burton, Velmer S. Jr., 2020. "Racial Sympathy and Support for Capital Punishment: A Case Study in Concept Transfer," SocArXiv xybj9, Center for Open Science.
    3. Cochran, John K. & Sanders, Beth A., 2009. "The gender gap in death penalty support: An exploratory study," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 525-533, November.
    4. Behnken, Monic P. & Caudill, Jonathan W. & Berg, Mark T. & Trulson, Chad R. & DeLisi, Matt, 2011. "Marked for Death: An Empirical Criminal Careers Analysis of Death Sentences in a Sample of Convicted Male Homicide Offenders," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 471-478.
    5. George Wilson & Amie L. Nielsen, 2011. "“Color Coding†and Support for Social Policy Spending: Assessing the Parameters among Whites," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 634(1), pages 174-189, March.
    6. Mears, Daniel P. & Stewart, Eric A., 2010. "Interracial contact and fear of crime," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 34-41, January.

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