'Once a sex offender always a sex offender'? Essentialism and attitudes towards criminal justice policy

The present research explores the proposition that psychological essentialism determines how we understand the nature of some types of crime and associated attitudes regarding how perpetrators should be treated. Specifically, we argue that people believe certain crimes are highly essentialized, and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPsychology, crime & law Vol. 25; no. 5; pp. 421 - 439
Main Authors de Vel-Palumbo, Melissa, Howarth, Laura, Brewer, Marilynn B.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Routledge 28.05.2019
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Attitudes
Correctional treatment programs
Crime
Criminal justice policy
Essentialism
implicit theories
Offenders
Perpetrators
Public opinion
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation of criminals
Sex offenders
sex offenses
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Summary:The present research explores the proposition that psychological essentialism determines how we understand the nature of some types of crime and associated attitudes regarding how perpetrators should be treated. Specifically, we argue that people believe certain crimes are highly essentialized, and they treat offenders in those categories more punitively. Study 1 assessed the applicability of essentialism to crime, demonstrating that different types of crime are indeed more essentialized than others. Two additional studies demonstrated that essentialism beliefs play a unique role in individuals' endorsement of policies regarding treatment of offenders who commit crimes of a sexual nature. We consider the implications of our findings for offender rehabilitation and reintegration.
ISSN:1068-316X
1477-2744
DOI:10.1080/1068316X.2018.1529234