Public Consensus on Crime Seriousness Normative Structure or Methodological Artifact?

ABSTRACTS Research on public perceptions of crime seriousness is reviewed. Two explanations for subgroup consensus are advanced as alternatives to the dominant view that ratings of crime seriousness reflect an underlying normative structure. It is argued that a normative explanation is plausible only after dismissing these alternative explanations. Research and data analytic strategies are proposed to evaluate the plausibility of these alternative explanations and suggestions are offered for future research in crim seriousness and the measurement of normative phenomena.