The Crime-Preventive Effects of Religiosity in Males and Females: A Study in Russia and Ukraine

• In Event: Cross-National Assessments of Criminological Theories

Abstract

Using data elicited from a probability sample of 1,435 Russian and Ukrainian respondents, this study seeks to investigate the relationships between religiosity, some theoretically specified crime predictors, including strain, morality, peer deviance, and perceived risk of sanctions, and criminal involvement across male and female gender groups. Specifically, we focus on religiosity as a moderator of the relationships between each of these theoretical predictors and criminal involvement. Our findings reveal mixed support for our hypotheses, highlighting important gender differences in theoretically specified causal processes. Moreover, these results underscore the importance of considering cultural context in the studies linking religiosity to crime.

Authors

• Ekaterina Botchkovar, Northeastern University

• Olena Antonaccio, University of Miami

• Lorine Hughes, University of Colorado Denver