RACIALIZATION OF CRIME: A TEST OF CITIZENSHIP STATUS ON CRIMINAL PERCEPTIONS
Open Access
Author:
BARBERI, DANIELA
Graduate Program:
Criminal Justice
Degree:
Master of Arts
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
March 02, 2017
Committee Members:
Eileen M. Ahlin, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Donald C. Hummer, Committee Member Shaun L. Gabbidon, Committee Member
Keywords:
Racialization of crime Racial prejudice Citizenship News Contact theory Gender
Abstract:
Criminal behavior can happen independent of country of origin, culture, religion, race, ethnicity, age, or gender. Discrimination against groups based on demographics such as race or ethnicity may be rooted in historical or cultural differences. In this thesis, the relationship between perceptions of criminality and offender race and ethnicity are examined. In order to study how participants might racialize criminal behavior, three main factors are analyzed. First, their citizenship status in the United States; second, exposure to various types of media (e.g., newscast, newspaper, television shows, and social media) as an influence on racial attitudes when judging criminal behavior; and third, interracial contact with others as a mechanism for reducing racial and ethnic prejudices. Results from the online survey showed that citizenship status is a statistically significant predictor of how participants racialized crime, but interracial contact and media exposure are not. Areas for future research and implications of this study are discussed.
