A quasi-experimental investigation of self-reported offending and perception of criminal opportunity in undergraduate students

摘要

This investigation has been designed to test the hypothesis that individuals who admit to a greater variety of offending also perceive more criminal and nuisance/deviant uses for everyday objects. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with level of self-reported offending as the quasi-experimental variable, and percentage of criminal/delinquent uses given, as the dependent variable; 107 students took part in the study. Results supported the hypothesis: those who self-report a high offending rate also generate more criminal uses for everyday objects. Results are discussed within an applications framework.