Moral values, social trust and inequality

Cross-national social attitude data from the World Values Surveys (1981-1983, 1990) were analysed to explore whether values can explain' crime. Mirroring patterns of offending and in contrast to other values, tolerance for a sub-group of materially self-interested attitudes were found to be sig...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Halpern, David (Author)
Format: Electronic/Print Article
Language:English
Published: 2001
In: The British journal of criminology
Year: 2001, Volume: 41, Issue: 2, Pages: 236-251
Online Access: Volltext (doi)
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Availability in Tübingen:Present in Tübingen.
IFK: In: Z 7
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Description
Summary:Cross-national social attitude data from the World Values Surveys (1981-1983, 1990) were analysed to explore whether values can explain' crime. Mirroring patterns of offending and in contrast to other values, tolerance for a sub-group of materially self-interested attitudes were found to be significantly higher in men, younger people, larger cities, and had increased over time. These self-interested values were also found to be associated with victimization rates at the national level as measured by the International Crime Victimisation Surveys. Multivariate models incorporating self-interested values, economic inequality, social trust and the interaction between these variables explained two-thirds of variance in victimization at the national level. Implications and contrast with the previous literature are discussed
ISSN:0007-0955
DOI:10.1093/bjc/41.2.236