Contemporary Drug Problems, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: March 13, 2025
Feelings of social and moral outrage, including panic, toward those who commit drug crimes have been speculated as a key reason why some Americans continued to support punitive sentencing approaches for offenses, even when faced with evidence that laws not achieved meaningful reductions in recidivism or use illegal drugs. As such, examining how feelings panic may underlie should help us better understand the roots public outrage these types well best promote evidence-based policies reform efforts. Drawing from this background, study uses national sample U.S. adults ( N = 1,569) examine if (concern, hostility, consensus, disproportionality, volatility) different motivate harsher practices. Mediation results suggest participants showing more harsh punishment strategies serious trafficking drugs were motivated by heightened concern, volatility. Further, less punishment, mandatory minimums truth-in-sentencing laws, marijuana possession fewer volatility, disproportionality. Similarly, minor Respondents also reported significantly consensus opioid possession. This suggests helps shape certain crimes, has implications understanding addressing such policies.
Language: Английский