Social Distance: An Experimental Study of Enduring Stigma of a Criminal Record

• In Event: Understanding the Enduring Impact of a Criminal Record

Abstract

Ample research has detailed how people experience stigma as a result of their criminal record – particularly in the employment sector. Less is known, however, about how the stigma of a criminal record is associated with markers of social distance, such as how willing someone is to live with or suggest a friend date someone with a criminal record. Furthermore, research has shown that those who commit offenses will eventually desist and will no longer be statistically different in terms of risk of offending than those who have never been convicted. Using an experimental vignette design, gender, crime type, and time since conviction are manipulated to assess participants’ desired degree of social distance from those with a criminal conviction. Results will be presented against the time to desistance research to discuss how participants’ views align with these findings.

Author

• Laura Sophia Nolterieke, University of Cincinnati