Belief in Redeemability and Punitive Public Opinion: "Once a Criminal, Always a Criminal" Revisited

• In Event: The Legitimacy of Punitiveness

Abstract

Building on the work of Maruna and King, among others, the current study employed a 2017 national opt-in internet survey to assess Americans' belief in redeemability. The respondents (n = 1,000) diverged in whether they embraced the view of "once a criminal always a criminal" or judged offenders to be capable of positive and permanent change. Controlling for other predictors of crime-opinions, the analysis revealed that belief in redeemability was significantly related to both punitive attitudes (negatively) and support for rehabilitation (positively). The results suggest that how offenders are portrayed, including in political rhetoric, may impact the public's openness to progressive policy options offering pathways to reintegration.

Authors

• Alexander L. Burton, University of Cincinnati

• Leah C. Butler, University of Cincinnati

• Francis Cullen, University of Cincinnati

• Angela Thielo, University of Louisville

• Velmer S. Burton, Jr., University of Arkansas at Little Rock