Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Abstract This paper analyzes survey respondent's perceptions of the causes and prescribed punishment for crimes described in 25 vignettes. Respondents' sociodemographic characteristics, chiefly race, affect the perceived cause, whether personal or environmental. Perceived cause in turn affects severity of punishment, with heavier punishment for crimes attributed to personal traits.
Darnell F. Hawkins (Wed,) studied this question.