Adverse Neighborhood Conditions and Sanction Risk Perceptions: Using SEM to Examine Direct and Indirect Effects

Byungbae Kim, Travis C. Pratt, Danielle Wallace

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives: The present study examines how individuals' sanction risk perceptions are shaped by neighborhood context. Methods: Using structural equation modeling on data from waves 6 and 7 of the National Youth Survey, we assess the direct and indirect relationships between adverse neighborhood conditions and two dimensions of sanction risk perceptions: the certainty of punishment and perceived shame. In addition, the role of shame as a mediator between neighborhood context and certainty of punishment is also investigated. Results: The results indicate that adverse neighborhood conditions indirectly affect both forms of sanction risk perceptions, and additional results show that perceived shame fully mediates the effect of neighborhood conditions on perceptions of the certainty of punishment. Conclusions: The perceptual deterrence/rational choice perspective will need to be revised to accommodate more explicitly the role of neighborhood context in shaping sanction risk perceptions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)505-526
Number of pages22
JournalJournal of Quantitative Criminology
Volume30
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2014

Keywords

  • Adverse neighborhood conditions
  • Sanction risk perceptions
  • Structural equation modeling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine
  • Law

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Adverse Neighborhood Conditions and Sanction Risk Perceptions: Using SEM to Examine Direct and Indirect Effects'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this